Seren - 165 - 2001-2002 - October 2001

seren

October 2001

inside

Grants to return?

--------------- News page 2

SU budget set

- In the Union page 5

Shaolin Monks

----------- Culture page 9

Gorky’s interview

----------- Music page 11

American Pie 2

--------- Movies page 13

Gamecube arrives --------- Games page 17

Welsh vs English

----- Features page 19

BUSA report

------------ Sport page 23

Local event guide

-------- Listings page 24

Official English-language newspaper of UWB Students’ Union

http://seren.bangor.ac.uk

Bomb scares Students’ Union steps up security after repeated police alerts Report by CATHERINE WALKER News Editor OVER THE the past two weeks, Bangor has been the target of several bomb scares throughout the city centre. Packages discovered have been described as suspicious and the city’s police have been placed on high alert, along with army organizations such as the TA, as a consequence.

Tuesday 9th October saw the first incident. Police confirmed that a “suspicious device” had been found in the public toilets near the bus station on Ffordd Gwynedd. Bomb disposal officers conducted a controlled explosion of the device and were seen leaving the scene in protective clothing, accompanied by the squad’s robot.

Members of the public and staff from buildings in the vicinity were evacuated to Deniol Road to await the all clear.

The occurrence of bomb scares has since escalated. On Monday 15th, Garth Road was evacuated and cordoned off due to another “suspicious package” discovered at

City centre streets are closed to the public as police investigate suspicious packages the TA youth centre on that road.

Once again, the army’s bomb disposal experts were drafted in to deal with the situation.

A third scare occurred on Wednesday 17th, when another

package was found in the toilets at Littlewoods. It is believed that a controlled explosion was undertaken, and there were rumours that some kind of powder was emitted. A number of local businesses

were closed during the day and only allowed to re-open later in the evening. Some stores, such as Thresher’s, were forced to remain closed all night. contd. page 2

2 SEREN October 2001

NEWS

news@seren.bangor.ac.uk

Bomb scares from page 1 Witnesses of the bomb scare sites looked on in disbelief and shock, many wondering why Bangor has become the focus for such threats in recent weeks.

A police spokesman confirmed, “there has recently been an increase, both locally and nationally, in the number of reports received concerning suspicious packages.”

Chief Inspector Mark Jones blamed the scares on hoaxers, saying on Wednesday 17th that “anyone involved in these deliberate hoaxes should be in no doubt

that this is an issue we take seriously.” Anyone convicted of conducting a hoax could face a heavy fine and a prison sentence of several years. These announcements were made only days after a 56-year-old man was released without charge after being arrested in Bangor under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. In a response to these incidents, extra security has been instituted at the Bangor Students’ Union building on Deniol Road. Individuals carrying large bags or parcels may be required to have them searched.

Taxi drivers “insult” students Local taxi drivers have been accused of insulting and overcharging students. One female undergraduate taking a taxi from the station to Neuadd Rathbone was told, “in future use your legs,” whilst a mature student who asked the driver to stop was refused.

Other students have been told they have “too much money” and that Bangor would be “a better city without them.” Taxi drivers, resentful of students’ short journeys, have even compensated themselves by charging in excess of the tariff displayed on the meter.

Such incidents constitute a tiny proportion of the many thousands of taxi journeys taken each week, and taxis remain the safest method of getting home after dark. Local

taxi firm Lunn’s (which has not been involved in any of the allegations) assures Seren that “we always charge what the council say… if people have complaints they know where to come.” City Cabs and Tryfan Taxis declined to comment on the issue.

Caernarfon County Council confirms the reported incidents are “unacceptable,” and suggests that, before getting into a taxi or private hire vehicle, students “take a few seconds to check that it is licensed.” All licensed drivers must always wear an official badge, and all complaints will be investigated if students report the registration number of the taxi to the District Council on 01286 679925.

Alison Davies

Labour supporter Richard Singer (front) rallies as his stall is barracked by protesters

Fees protest at Serendipity Report by CHRIS CHAPMAN Serendipity’s labour Party stall came under severe fire as student activists staged an unexpected protest. Jon Mason and Clare Middleton raised Anti-Labour banners above the stall in protest against Tony Blair’s “lies” about the nature of student fees (though as Seren went to press tuition fees were set to be reviewed [see story below—Ed.]). The protest was peaceful and received a great deal of support from passing students.

The two Labour Party members manning the stall struggled to remain composed, but one of them, Bangor student Richard Singer, shot back: “These people [the activists] only have a single issue. The rest of

the world is worried about impending war and the refugee crisis, whilst these student activists are only worried about themselves. If they had a broader view then perhaps people would take them more seriously. This is a blinkered demonstration.”

SU President James Brownsell, the figurehead of Bangor’s antifees campaign, seemed outraged at these words and retorted: “As anyone with an open mind can see, we [the SU] are a dynamic campaigning force that passionately cares about all issues that our students face. Although this picket was not organised by the Student’s Union, it does reflect the Union’s “Grants Not Fees” campaign.”

Protester Jon Mason described Mr Singer’s comments as being

“Totally arrogant and, to be plain, just really surreal and ridiculous.

The opinion that student activists are only looking out for themselves is also narrow-horizoned, and, I have to say, very offensive. I find it really hurtful. One of our biggest concerns at the demonstration was that we shouldn’t deny the New Labour stand its voice— they had as much right to be there as anyone; we were simply offering an alternative view, having a joke and making a colossally big point at the same time.”

The second activist, Claire Middleton, shared Mason’s sentiments: “I am dismayed that Richard Singer found it necessary to use such prejudicial and emotive language in response to a peaceful demonstration in a democratic country.”

Government promises student funding review

Bangor students protest against poverty earlier this year

Wednesday 3rd October saw the unexpected announcement from Tony Blair that the system of student funding in Higher Education was to be reviewed. The proposed reforms seem set to reintroduce means tested bursaries (or grants), along with the introduction of a graduate tax.

It was the Labour Party who first implemented the introduction of tuition fees in 1998, a decision deemed by many to be the most unpopular decision of Blair’s first term. A maximum fee of £1.000 (now £1,075) was imposed upon students for each year of their study. The simultaneous rejection of maintenance grants and introduction of student loans increased the controversy surrounding the scheme. Education Secretary

Estelle Morris, announced the new proposals, admitting that a fear of debt was deterring poorer students from University.

The new maintenance grant scheme would come into effectduring the autumn of 2003, possibly for all students, but certainly for those from low-income families. Lord Dearing, whose previous research paved the way for tuition fees, said that the maintenance grant was a “flexible instrument” which could be used to attract people from working class backgrounds into Higher Education.

Graduate tax will be imposed on all students, regardless of whether or not an individual took out a maintenance grant. The present tuition fee scheme has proved less than profitable as 50% of students

aren’t required to pay. It is hoped that once the new system is established it will be self-funding.

Bangor Students’ Union President, James Brownsell, stated, “This is an important milestone in our campaign, but we need to continue to put pressure on the government during this review process in order to see the abolition of tuition fees; the reinstatement of maintenance grants and the introduction of a fair system of student funding.

“In order to achieve its own targets, the government must create access to a high quality education based on the ability to learn, not the ability to pay.”

The NUS has welcomed the proposals and the Conservatives have described it as “the first major U-turn of the new parliament.”

academic@seren.bangor.ac.uk

UNIVERSITY NEWS

SEREN October 2001 3

Ensemble Cymru concert in Powis Hall Ten piece musical combo Ensemble Cymru will be giving a concert at 8pm at Powis Hall on the 15th November to launch its residency at the School of Music here in Bangor. The ensemble aims to bring live music to the people of Wales and to promote Welsh culture and business throughout the UK. Their residency will also be a golden opportunity for schools and communities to hear live music, as well as giving music students here at the university some valuable experiences.

Head of the Music School, Pro-

fessor Robert Pascall said, “It will give the School of Music’s composers and composition students the unique opportunity to work with and hear their compositions performed by top class performers.”

Amongst the professional musicians are tutors from the University of Wales itself, including Peryn Clement-Evans on the clarinet, Heather Bills of Beaumaris on the cello and Jonathan Rimmer of Harvey Davies (Menai Bridge) on flute.

The project will be in collabora-

tion with the United Nations Association Cymru, Cwmni Cynnal, and senior lecturer Nigel Simeone. Five secondary schools on Ynys Mon will be involved in live music performances and workshops until February of next year.

It is hoped that this scheme will make Ensemble Cymru the leading chamber ensemble in Wales, as well as benefiting students and the community.

To obtain tickets for the concert, simply contact Theatr Gwynedd or contact the Ensemble direct on 01248 361748.

Postgraduate creative writing courses Report by LOLA KIDNEY Academic Editor If you want to crack the world of creative writing then Bangor is the place to be. On National Poetry Day this year, the University of Wales, Bangor announced plans for a major international development programme to benchmark postgraduate degrees in creative writing. Centre for the Creative

Talk: adult learning in Wales The public lecture on adult education in Wales, which was originally cancelled due to foot and mouth scares earlier this year, has been rescheduled. The event will now be held at the Main Arts Lecture Theatre at 5.30pm on the Wednesday 7th November. The lecture will be brought to the public by Professor Merfyn Jones, author of Cymru 2001, in conjunction with the School of History and Welsh History.

Everyone with an interest in the topic of discussion is welcome to come along to the lecture, which will be held in Welsh, though there will be translation facilities available should any nonWelsh-speaking members of the public wish to attend.

and Performing Arts director Dr. Graeme Harper, said, “Such a growth in postgraduate degrees in creative writing is producing better writers. We need to show how this is happening, and to ensure we have some sense of the ways in which a good postgraduate degree programme in creative writing operates.”

The programme will begin with a major international event on the 19th and 20th January next year.

“What is a Postgraduate Degree in Creative Writing?” will include conference links to American Universities. There will also be a presentation of key papers from writers and academics world-wide. If you want to know more about this event, or about the creative writing courses, available in Bangor visit the University website, email Dr Harper at g.harper@bangor.ac.uk or contact the CCPA via the University.

Graduates get jobs panicked third years seeking a career have help at hand. Student website www.thestudents.net has launched an online career advice service aimed at 16-23 year olds.

It should only take ten minutes to profile a student and send a comprehensive personalised report back to them via email. For the special launch price of £9.99, this service offers advice on the career best suited to the student, the job type best fitting his/her strengths, the most enjoyable work environment and the strengths and limitations the student should consider.

However, if you’re too poor or

you already know what you want to do, try www.virginstudent.com.

They’re holding a careers fair on Monday 29th October at the University of London. Their website has details on everything that will happen, including motivational speeches and advice on job applications. The fair covers a wide range of careers, from advertising and marketing, through interior design, modelling, sport, to journalism and television. Although there’s no mention of how to become a tycoon like Virgin boss Branson, it’s still a thorough catalogue of job options.

£7,000 gift to Child Behaviour Project Bangor university’s School of Psychology has recently received a massive £7,000 donation from supporter Goronwy Cleaver. The Anglesey man had initially pledged £3,000 to the Bangor Child Behaviour Project to aid research into ways to support parents during their child’s infancy; and at a recent visit to the Project he and his wife put forward a further £4,000.

The main aim of this project is to discover the best way for parents to develop positive relationships with their offspring. There are already many local projects, funded by the tax payer’s money, to provide support for families.

Mr. Cleaver’s donation will be used to assess the success of such schemes based on preliminary feedback. He is reported to have been “delighted” with the progress made so far, and pledges to continue his support.

4 SEREN October 2001

IN THE UNION

su@seren.bangor.ac.uk

Decisions, decisions Bob Connerton casts a skeptical eye over the Union’s democratic institutions a quick debate over the Union’s website—although quite a few of the officers admitted they didn’t understand the issues involved (we await a report back on this); and a chat about moshing in the Main Bar, with the order for an investigation to return to the Executive.

A pattern is emerging: the idea of taking issues away for investigation or reports, which don’t appear in time for the next meeting. This is a common habit of the Executive, and issues often get laid

before. Admittedly, some of the others had been involved in the Union at various levels, but what the Union needs to offer is a decent hand-over for all of its volunteers: Standing Committees, Senators, and anyone interested. As yet, it does not formally demand this.

We let inexperienced people deal with the day-to-day business of the Union. Is this democracy? It is for these reasons that the Executive currently functions as little more than a talking shop.

In one meeting, the only thing passed was the purchase of a new kettle.

Senedd, the watchdog of the Union, has now met: some progress has been made, particularly on the approval of the budget. A few motions had been submitted, but both were referred elsewhere: one concerning the security of the Union to an ad hoc committee to investigate and take action; the other concerning gender equality for males (with particular attention to academic assessment) has been passed to the Executive for consideration, discussion and referral. We also found out that talks are being held on moving the Students’ Union nursery (perhaps to Siliwen Road); that the AU is now increasing the number of first-aiders among its membership. The Welfare report contained information about various issues, including the introduction of charging for condoms—once offered for nowt, now five for a quid. Selfdefence groups for both males and females have been set up.

Funding has been found for Ann Parry in the Welfare Suite to undertake a part-time law course too.

aside until they are picked up on. Other issues awaiting investigations, reports or further work include the handling of vegetarian food in Freddy’s (incidentally, part of the Union’s Trading Company, and outside the control of the majority of the Union’s members) and smoking on the Main Bar dancefloor. In one meeting, the only thing passed was the purchase of a new kettle, which shouldn’t really have been discussed there in the first place.

Another issue that has been debated at the Executive is training. There has yet to be any definitive action, but this is, nevertheless, rather late in occurring.

The principle behind this is that over the summer months, before the Sabbatical Officers took up office, they were sent away on training courses. Non-Sabbatical Officers do not receive this training, but have the fun of suffering from it at some later stage. Whilst this is a good thing, it is, nevertheless, a bit late. Last year I was requested to undertake this training which, to be honest, I found a waste of time: late, unproductive, of no assistance in my job. I knew more about our Union from my hands-on experience and my natural progression into the role: I was experienced before I stood for election. I knew what I was getting into and had an idea of how to do it. The problem is that all but two of the current Officers have not had such experience. At least one of the two officers with experience had not served a full term

Education Officer Rhiannon Moore (education@undeb.bangor.ac.uk) is currently working on problems with personal tutors: I’m sure she’ll be able to help you out if you’re having any problems with yours!

Senedd received very few reports, so we don’t know exactly who’s doing what, but our President will be writing to all Standing Committees asking them to

report. Senedd might otherwise have to take sanctions.

So that’s this round-up of what’s gone on in the Union. In the absence of minutes, I can’t really tell you what else has gone on, but those are the major decisions to date. The next big step is the General Meeting... a full report of that and the other business in next month’s Seren.

The Student Body Made up of all University of Wales Bangor students.

Those who do not opt out of membership are ordinary members of the Union with rights to stand and vote in Union elections.

General Meetings

The Referendum

All ordinary members of the Union can come to these meetings to speak and vote. This is the sovereign decision-making body, with powers to change the Constitution and Union Policy.

A ballot of ordinary members of the Union can be called by the Senedd, Executive or a petition to vote on any issue. It has the same powers as the GM to change the Constitution and Union policy.

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Senedd

Union Committee Structures

For those new to Bangor’s Union and it’s democractic process, it is (theoretically) quite simple. Day to day business of the Union is dealt with by the Executive Committee (Exec) who should be elected annually before Easter. This meets weekly. Anyone can table items, attend and speak in open business, although only members may vote. Various Committees also exist to cover various aspects of Union affairs, often relating to minority groups. To keep an eye on the Exec and the Standing Committees we have a Senedd—a Senate, or the Union’s Parliament. Again, anyone can table a motion, turn up and speak on the issues, although only the Senators (elected by the General Meeting) can vote on these issues. Above the Senedd are General Meetings, at which any member of the Union can table a motion, speak and vote on the issues. We even recognise the need for referenda, technically referred to as “Cross-Campus Ballots” which can affect anything relating to the Union. Unfortunately for democracy, these are rarely used.

The business of the Executive is quite simple really. At the beginning of each meeting, outstanding business from previous meetings is discussed in terms of “Matters Arising.” Each Officer then gives a report on what he’s done in the period since the last meeting: these appear as Matters to Report.

Generally, the business will almost be the same: departmental activities and college committee attendance for the Sabbatical Officers, and degree work with a little bit of Union work by the Non-Sabbatical Officers (Sabbatical Officers are those who work for the Union as a full-time job; non-sabbaticals are those in a degree course who volunteer). Sometimes additional things crop up, such as attending Highgrove for luncheon with the Prince of Wales, but these are rare.

In terms of decisions made, the Executive has, so far, apparently done very little. It has discussed a “Priced Out, Pushed Out” campaign, one of the Union’s stances on student financial hardship (not in the remit of the Executive, as this would be either policy, which is Senedd business, or discussed by the Campaigns Standing Committee); information about College Open Days (for information only);

Members are elected at GM’s and from various groups. It has the right to make interim Union policy, suspend Union representatives and Executive decisions, plus many other powers.

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Advisory committees made by the Senedd to report on an issue.

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Standing Committees

Executive Committee

Special interest groups and specific committees with wide ranging structures, powers and duties to match their wide-ranging natures. Many of the committees are headed by Exec Officers.

Made up of Executive members elected by cross-campus ballot. Some of these are paid sabbaticals but most are not. Makes day-to-day running decisions concerning the Union.

Direct responsibility

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The Exec reports to the Senedd, who can suspend its decisions. The Senedd can also make policy which is binding on the Exec and suspend individual members.

Standing Committees report to Senedd in the same way as the Exec.

Sub-committees present reccommendations to Senedd.

The Exec reports to the General Meeting which can remove any

Senedd Sub-committees

Indirect responsibility 5.

6.

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members.

Senedd is elected by, and reports to, General Meetings. The GM can remove any members of Senedd and needs to pass Senedd’s interim policy.

General Meetings and Referenda can change the Constitution and Union policy, both of which must be followed

by Union committees.

Most Union committees have members elected by the student body.

Above: Voting at a Union meeting Top: The Union’s democratic structure

IN THE UNION

su@seren.bangor.ac.uk

SEREN October 2001 5

Balancing the books Edited highlights of the SU’s financial forecast On Monday 22nd October, CCSO Matt Tapping presented to Senedd his proposed allocation of the Union’s income for the present academic year. His proposals were accepted, though they must still be approved at a General Meeting before they can be acted upon.

These are some of the more interesting aspects: ♦ This year we’ve got £508,000.

This is slightly more than last year, although the Union’s services won’t be getting much more, because: ♦ The University has increased the “cost of living” allowance we have to pay employees.

Therefore we have to pay our staff (and some of the Company’s) a total of £326,000, which is 64% of the Union’s cash. This leaves 36% of the Union’s cash (£182,000) for the services we offer.

♦ The AU gets £46,950, which is 25% of the remaining cash (9% of the overall Union budget). ♦ Clubs and Societies get a feeble £5,994, or 3% of the remaining cash (1% of the total Union budget). ♦ Standing Committees (of which 14 out of 27 are represented) receive in all £5,970, again 3% of the available funds, or 1% of the total funds of the Union.

As well as that, we’ve agreed to allocate, but not yet pay, £33,000 (6.5% of our overall budget, 18% of our costs after staff wages) to the NUS. This covers our affiliation fee, although we are currently looking into what our benefits of Union membership are. The other significant cost is the General Expenses allocation, which covers most other things: this stands at £47,000, which is 26% of the post-

staff costs (9% of the overall Union budget). In comparison to previous years, these are my observations: ♦ Campaigns have requested £750 again when last year, when the requested the same amount, they spent only £600, despite various large-scale campaigns. ♦ Elections allocation: the Union intends to get more people to vote, and therefore more cash needs to be spent to achieve this, yet this is not recognised by its distribution. ♦ General Meeting allocation: in my view this is too low, taking into consideration of the costs incurred and spending last year. ♦ LGB have been granted nearly five times as much as they spent last year on nearly the same allocation (£470 last year, £480 this year).

♦ Mature Students group has £100—last year none was granted; this year there is an officer. ♦ Women’s Group have been granted £100; last year they only spent £6 from an allocation of £220. ♦ The Senedd allocation is too low if Senedd is to function properly.

Of course, the budget can be amended in the future, and at the time of writing is still to have the scrutiny of the General Meeting, where I suspect that it will be approved. A report of the Budget debate and the other important debates (and perhaps those not quite so important debates) in the next issue… if you’ve got anything you want to be included, or any comments on this section, let me know (su@seren.bangor.ac.uk) and it could be included.

Bob Connerton

SU Feedback

Let Management Know…

Send these to Seren: we’ll analyse the results and let management know what you want.

I think my Union needs/ should provide:

_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ Year of study:

_________________ I live in:

_________________ Signed (if you want):

_________________

6 SEREN October 2001

IN THE UNION

su@seren.bangor.ac.uk

“As long as students want the building to open at night, it will continue to do so.”

Vicky Parry, Communications, Clubs and Societies Officer 1999-2000

Service with a smile?

Bob Connerton asks the Union’s General Manager Mike Lawler about SU services We are all aware of student hardship. But Undeb Trading—the commercial arm of the Students’ Union—appears to have taken it upon itself to ease this situation by restricting the services it offers to a few hours per week. By diminishing its services, it prevents us from spending our cash there. So we go elsewhere: we have no choice but to. We could be supporting our Union, and helping it to help us, but the Company directors, in their infinite wisdom, feel that we should not.

Fat Freddy’s (for that is what it was called) was once under the direct control of the students. If we, the students, were not happy with the prices charged, we lowered them. We can no longer do this. We have problems trying to get food in the Union at all: catering stops by 3pm each week-day.

It is “uneconomical” for the shop to be open after 5pm. After 4pm we can’t book tickets to escape from Bangor and support our Students’ Union at the same time.

The fact that the Students’ Union offers food and drink on a Wednesday is, in the words of the General Manage, really only “to benefit visiting teams.”

We can’t even do our laundry at

weekends in the Union any more.

We used to be able to do our laundry and have a drink and watch TV all in the same building—the same floor even. We could rely on porters to assist us without questions being asked about whether

“There is no demand to open the building at weekends.”

Mike Lawler it was economical to secure the building. Other departments were not burdened, neither were college resources strained. According to Union sources, the problem with opening at weekends is paying weekend staff. Many people do not come to the Union at weekends, so the Union provides no service. You can’t even get into the building during the day.

Mike Lawler responds that there is “no demand” for opening the building at weekends. On the issue of Sunday lunches, once offered by the Catering crew of the Union, the demand “faded away.” He

attributes this to the arrival of Safeway, which he describes as “more convenient and cost-efficient for halls students.” When I ask whether I will ever again be able to do my laundry at the Union at weekends, I am told that “every suggestion will receive full consideration.” The problem is that “management doesn’t know what our students want” from their Union—although it does have the “ability to deliver most things.”

Management recognises that the Union and Company do not market themselves well. An attempt to secure funding for promotion was rejected by the DTI on the basis of the Union’s “close links with the University.” Perhaps it is time for the University to grant us more cash so that we can market ourselves properly. For the Company it is “a serious issue.”

Plans already exist to change the dreary-faced image of the Union.

We have a proposal that will involve “major changes to the cosmetic appearance” of the building, viz. a “major development involving the frontage of the building.”

The appearance of the Union has not progressed since the 1970s.

I believe the company puts profits before services; but those who

have been involved in commerce (or even those with a basic academic grasp of commerce) will realise that out in the real world (i.e., not Union land) one may have to make leaps to make profits: one has to show initiative occasionally.

“Management doesn’t know what our students want.”

Mike Lawler The catering section of the company needs to realise that it will not make major profits the way it currently works. People want good food at a reasonable price and regular, suitable hours: it needs to be able to sell it to customers.

Awareness needs to be raised.

The 9-5 day is no longer the de facto working model, particularly for students. Last year I had irregular hours at the Union, and about six out of ten times when I wanted decent junk-food (I really wanted nice food, but junk-food had to do) I couldn’t get it in the Union. In most cases there

was nowhere open; in other cases they simply had not got their orders right—commercial suicide.

Another problem is the appalling staffing situation in the evenings: two people are expected to serve up to 1350 customers. It’s impossible. People walk away from the incredibly long wait due to our understaffing—give more students work say I. Our competitiors offer far more interesting, appetising and costeffective menus than the Company. They also serve booze. The General Manager states that the Students’ Union provides value for money via “preferential bar prices” to its members and their guests; but getting an alcoholic drink in the Union is a nightmare during the day. Before we had our 1am license we could open in the daytime. Now we only have a Wednesday license. Students will drink in the afternoons: we could attempt to discourage them and try to convince them that lectures aren’t a waste of time, but in the meantime the Company is losing out on more money. What the Company needs to do is to listen to what consumers want, how much they are prepared to pay and their lifestyles and hours of demand.

community@seren.bangor.ac.uk

COMMUNITY

SEREN October 2001 7

Wildlife volunteers wanted North Wales Wildlife Trust runs over thirty nature reserves, and is looking for volunteers.

The Trust runs a children’s club (Wildlife Watch), publishes a bilingual newsletter three times a year, works with the community to protect wildlife, and does practical work for conservation of the natural environment and preservation of biodiversity. They also organise events the public can take part in, for free or a small fee, such as visits, lectures, fungus forays, and guided nature walks. Information sheets on reserves are published. Practical jobs of volunteers include wardening, surveying, and working on conservation projects.

There are about six reserves on Anglesey, sixteen in Gwynedd, and ten in Conwy and Clwyd.

Reserves include Crafnant, Cors Goch, and the Great Orme. Threatened or fragile species in the area include greater spotted woodpeckers, arctic terns, yellowhammers, silver-studded blue butterflies, badgers, bee orchids, and primroses.

The Trust has branches in Anglesey, Conwy Valley, Glaslyn (Bird group), Wrexham & Dee Valley, Denbighshire, Meirionnydd, Pen-

BANGOR

Enid Griffiths (01248) 351714 30th October 7.30pm Memorial Building, Deiniol Rd: Frances & Peter Martin, “Peru” 23rd November 7pm John Phillips Hall: Robert Swan, “Ice Talk” (Polar regions) £3 students, tickets from NWWT office 27th November 7.30pm Memorial Building, Deiniol Rd: Charles Aron, “Butterflies & Other Insects” 12th December Treborth Botanical Gardens, NWWT Arfon & University Bird Group Christmas Party

ANGLESEY

Llandudno’s Great Orme nature reserve sychnant (Bird group), Arfon (our nearest branch), and Clwyd.

Seren spoke to Bleddyn Williams, who produces the NWWT newsletter and also does admin & IT work at the Trust. We also spoke to Neil Griffiths, Reserves Manager, who is in charge of the volunteers. Neil said that any kind of volunteers are wanted.

They should be keen, enthusiastic, active, and reasonably fit, and

have stout footwear (i.e. steel toecaps, if possible) and old clothes.

They can be picked up for free from Bangor at the branch offices near Kwiksave in the High Street.

All tools and equipment are provided by the Trust, and training is free. Work involves general habitat management, scrub-clearing, path clearance, step-making, and fence repair.

To get volunteering call Neil

Griffiths, or Conservation Officer Chris Wynne, on (01248) 351541 and ask about the Woodland Work Group (number same for general calls).

For less active people still interested in wildlife, there are some fun events coming up in the local area (see right; and on December 3rd Bangor’s NWWT produces its new newsletter, with listings up to Easter).

Penny Radford (01248) 713022 1st November 2pm St Cyngar’s Church Hall, Llangefni: “Ravens Galore” Research at a raven roost in Anglesey, £2 inc refreshments 9th November 7.30pm, Pili Palas, Menai Bridge: Neil Crumpton leads a discussion on energy sources and the environment.

6th December 2pm St Cyngar’s Church Hall, Llangefni: David Cowley on the Biodiversity Action Plan, £2 inc refreshments

CONWY

Ron Elias (01492) 877066 9th November 7.30pm St David’s Church Hall, Penrhyn Bay: John Underwood & Peter Roberts, wardens, give an illustrated talk on Rhiwledyn & Bryn Pydew reserves.

WREXHAM

Mabyn Pickering (01978) 358450 14th November Quakers’ Meeting Hall, Holt Road: Dave & Sigrun Tollerton: “Trip to the Galapagos”

Addicts suspected in University car park thefts

Capital marches against war

Report by JAMES DAWSON

Fifty thousand people attended the march and rally for peace and justice and to oppose the war on Afghanistan in London on Saturday 13th October. Significant features of the demonstration were the participation of a great many people from Asian and Arab communities and the very considerable presence of young people.

Together with people of all ages and the many contingents of peace activists this was a very moving demonstration of opposition to government policy. The crowd in Trafalgar Square was such that it was difficult to hear all the speakers. All politicians were very well received and included Darren Johnson and Caroline Lucas MEP from the Green Party and Mark Seddon, Alan Simpson MP and Paul Marsden MP from Labour.

Tony Benn was out of the country but sent greetings and Mark Seddon, Tribune editor brought the greetings of Michael Foot. Paul Marsden MP expressed the con-

A SPATE of thefts from cars parked by the Brigantia Psychology building is being blamed on heroin addicts. It is believed that they have been moved into the area by Gwynedd Council from the Maesgeirchen estate. On 1st October two cars parked in the car park were broken into and items snatched. The police were called, and told the students involved that two houses, one on The Crescent and a second near to the Brigantia building, had recently been converted into houses for drug addicts after residents on the Maesgeirchen estate had complained of their presence The police told the victims that the stolen items could probably be found in the bushes that line the steps leading down to Penrallt. The items, including the victim’s passport, were indeed later discovered where the police had predicted, with only loose change being taken.

Brigantia car park: scene of the thefts More worryingly, however, University Security staff informed the victims that they were aware that several cars had been broken into, yet the CCTV cameras were not in

use. No warning had been given to students about the lack of safety on the car park and steps, or the presence of drug users in an area heavily populated by students.

A diverse crowd gathered to protest against war cern that there had as yet been no vote in parliament regarding the military action. Palestinian speaker Afif Safiah, the leader of the London Islamic Centre, a speaker from the Afghani community and Salima Yakoob, Chair of the Birmingham Coalition against the War were all warmly received. Salima spoke of the isolation she had experienced as a consequence of the racism generated by the attack on the WTC and the response of retaliation and revenge. She has been shunned by other parents at her children’s playground and spat at on the streets.

Maggie Simpson

8 SEREN October 2001

COMMUNITY

community@seren.bangor.ac.uk

Support for Quaker meetings expatriate women in Bangor Coming to a new place is always stressful.

You don’t know anyone, you are not sure where to go, and you don’t know where the shops are. But it is worse if you are coming from another country and don’t know anyone here or even speak English. Shekina is a group for women from other countries and cultures. It meets in the Greenhouse at the far end of the High Street. Befriending exists between international and local women. The group has a drop-in session, and free language lessons in English, French and Spanish.

They provide information on work, housing, shops that sell foreign food; and advice about living in the UK. There are classes in computing, Internet, health and beauty, and you can gain a qualification. Anne, a member of staff at Shekina, told Seren that most members of the group are “plucked from their home”, and come to the UK with their student husbands. They are totally isolated in a place where they don’t speak English. Most are very poor, living on grants, savings, etc. Shekina provides emotional support, and practical help. The group seeks to address childcare and domestic issues. (Their menfolk are very busy, and have not formed their own group yet. Some social events organised by Shekina also allow men.) Shekina runs English lessons

4 days a week. The members of the group come from a wide range of faiths and countries: Christians, Muslims and Hindus; from Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique, the Philippines, Japan; and once there were two members from Kathmandu. You can contact Shekina by phoning Julie or Anne on (01248) 370515 or email shekina1@btconnect.com.

The Greenhouse itself has meeting space you can hire, photocopying, computer facilities and internet access, a shower room, disabled access, and a drop-in information centre with tea and coffee available. There is information on all kinds of groups from conservation via political to social, musical and writing. Greenhouse also supports community and campaigning groups by providing office space and shared facilities.

Current groups include Shekina, the Family Planning Association, and a partnership project between the Prince’s Trust and VSO. Local groups such as Bangor Buddhists, a life drawing class, Shelter Cymru, Farmer’s Market network and Lesbian Line also use our meeting room and facilities.

Phone Louisa on (01248) 355821 or email post@tygwydr.com.

Karl Sadil, with input from Louisa of the Greenhouse

If you are looking for different ways to be a Christian, then perhaps you might think about the Quakers (Religious Society of Friends). Bangor has a Quaker meeting centre in Dean Street, with regular meetings. The Quakers are preparing to celebrate their 350th anniversary in 2002. The main meeting is at the Meeting House every Sunday from 10:30 to 11:30, and a smaller group meets there on Tuesdays from 1-1:30. Keith Boaler of Bethesda, one of the elders (who serve for 3-year periods), explained to Seren about the Quaker faith. Quakers believe every person has direct access to God without the need for priests, set forms of worship or even a special building. Men and women have equal status and can serve in any position in the Society of Friends. The Quaker way of life is very simple and plain. Quakers don’t have sacraments, or a creed (credo or state-

ment) because they say creeds limit openness to the truth and exclude wider insights. Quakerism is therefore open to the teachings of other religions. The official Quaker position is anti-war because the Quakers are a pacifist church. The Quaker church doesn’t want active acts of aggression. Statements on the war have been sent to world leaders. Worship involves silent sitting and meditation for an hour, interspersed with spontaneous contributions from anyone present. This can be in the form of thoughts and feelings, or Bible readings and comments. If you want to go to these meetings, just turn up on the day. Anyone is welcome. Or for more information you can ring Keith or Diana Boaler on (01248) 602156, email keith@kboaler.fsnet.co.uk, or visit the website of Quakers at http:// www.quaker.org.uk/.

Karl Sadil and Keith Boaler

It’s a vege world Bangor held a successful second International Vegetarian Food Festival at Dimensions Healthfoods on Holyhead Road from 8-13th October. The purpose of the festival was to promote vegetarian and vegan food from around the world.

Each day had a different theme, such as Indian, pasta, hangover cures, and tofu/soya products. Tex-Mex wraps from Bandit Balaram started the week off, and the festival moved on to Italian food, pakoras by Noojie, and things to boost the immune system the morning after.

TVP (textured vegetable protein) with spices and tomatoes was served in mini pitta breads and was truly one for the brave. On the last day of the festival there

was a spinach, cream cheese, and sweetcorn soup which was delicious. Even better was a South American product called Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa). It looks like a very small round beansprout but behaves like couscous. You cook it by getting it to absorb the water so it swells up. It can be mixed with garlic or ketchup to change the flavour. It tastes sweet, like pumpkin or yam. You can buy bags of quinoa in Dimensions. The staff of Dimensions spoke of the cost and difficulty involved in organising the festival, but did it because they believed it was worthwhile to get people eating different foods. Recipe sheets are available soon from their shop.

Quinoa, available now from Dimensions Wholefoods

CULTURE

culture@seren.bangor.ac.uk

The Culture Club with your very own Kirsty Harrison Hello minions. It was my 21st birthday last week, and due to the fact I have been pickled ever since, this section is slightly undercooked. I apologise. There’s still a couple of interesting things to read though and two competitions to enter—ye olde poetry competition and a chance to win the Ann Summers Little Book of Sex (reviewed below). Oh, and the answer to the question for the competition isn’t on this page. It’s

BOOK REVIEW

The Little Book of Sex Ann Summers, Ebury Press £5.99 If you need help to spice up your sex life, then this fun and raunchy little book gives plenty of tips and ideas that might inspire you. It’s fairly explicit, the pictures leaving little to the imagination, and even those that think they know everything there is to know about sex are sure to find something in here that will surprise them. However, much of it is pretty obvious stuff—there isn’t a lot in there

not a stupid easy question along the lines of “Where does Manchester United play?” so thinking caps on, people. The winner of last issue’s prestigious £5 was Mr Ian Fallon with “Rhyme of the Infatuated Student.” And rhyme it does indeed.

Mr Fallon has since been given his prize, which was received with a grunt and spent rapidly on booze. I expect future winners to be far more polite.

that most people couldn’t come up with themselves with a little imagination. But if you need a kick-start, or if you feel you’ve lead a sheltered life then this book is a good introduction. And no matter how experienced, knowledgeable and mature you think you are, some of the pictures will still produce a giggle and elicit some sort of a dildo debate—what is that knobbly bit for anyway?

[Clitoral stimulation, or so I’m told— Culture Ed.] This book is blatantly an advert for Ann Summers products with a bunch of fill-in bits. It’s definitely aimed at the heterosexual woman (tut tut), but the advice is worth a read and if nothing else you have to see the picture on page 20, it’ll

Sky One sent me a press release the other day, proclaiming the joys of Yu-Gi-Oh! a new Japanese animation apparently set to surpass the success of Pokémon. The “adventure” begins [began?—Calendar Ed.] on October 20th at 9.30am. If you like that sort of thing, then watch it. If you don’t. Good. If you have Sky, then you are the envy of thousands.

That is all. Teeny tiny editorial, teeny tiny brain.

SEREN October 2001 9

, KirstYy s poetr korner Welcome back to poetry corner people! Congrats to this month’s £5 winner—spend it wisely!

If you think you can impress me further, then you know exactly what you can do about it! Write a poem, send me a flaming e-mail, or drop into the office and stick ‘em in my Culture pigeonhole. Then I, the all-knowing poetry goddess, shall pick a winner and shower them with gifts. Or another £5. Excellent. Carry on.

Rhyme of the Infatuated Student I met this cute girl and she’s smart and she’s great, The only thing is that I met her too late Cos she now knows this guy who supplies her with gear And she hangs out with stoners nine tenths of the year.

It’s so hard to tell her just how I feel, When most of the time she can’t tell what is real.

I’ve tried to explain what I know in my heart But try as I might it just seems that I can’t…

Out friendship means most—I can’t risk harming that— So why, when I see her, do I act like a twat?

make you laugh—and can somebody buy the poor boy a proper porn mag? I’m sure the Ann Summers catalogue was not meant for that!  Emma Allmand

For a chance to win this outrageous piece of filth...

Just e-mail me at the address up there with the answer to this mind-numbingly simple question:

Which female tycoon now runs the Ann Summers Company and Knickerbox?

Well? You have nooo idea, do you? Huzzah! I can keep it! K. x

by Ian Fallon Aged 22 1/3rd

The Shaolin must go on SHOW REVIEW

Shaolin Monks: Wheel of Life North Wales Theatre, Llandudno, 1st October 2001

The Shoalin Monks reveal the oriental mysteries of the pointy stick

If you’ve only vaguely heard of the Shaolin Monks then you’re probably with the majority of the population but if you know of them then you’ll know that their show “The Wheel of Life” is one of the most phenomenally fantastic Kung-Fu fests you will ever see. Apart from the fact that now they’ve gone back to China (forever!—Alarmist Ed.), this orangeclad religious order trains from very young (literally—the youngest monk was five, so cute) to balance themselves on spears, break iron rods over their heads (no, really) and move almost faster than you can follow, and are fantastic. Of

course, this reviewer is in no way biased, since they waved at me in the car park afterwards.

The story of the “Wheel of Life” is as follows: a troupe of Shaolin Monks is invited by the Emperor to his palace. The Emperor, impressed by the Monks’ skills, asks them to protect his palace from an invading force. A fierce battle then takes place from which the Monks emerge triumphant. When the Monks decline the Emperor’s subsequent invitation to serve him permanently at court, he feels threatened by their superior “Shaolin force.” He then attempts to slaughter the Monks and, out of this tragic scene, five children, now celebrated as the “Five Ancestors,” survive and continue to spread Zen Buddhism and the art of Shaolin Kung Fu throughout the land. Cool story, no? The story is told lavishly and exotically through kung fu, dance and movement. Its lasting impression is one of awe-inspiring grace, speed and agility. And cuteness. They rocked.  Christina Stannard

10 SEREN October 2001

MUSIC

music@seren.bangor.ac.uk

Album reviews What’s spinning on the Seren platters this month ALBUM REVIEW

Supernova Lisa “Left-Eye” Lopes (LaFace) In some ways Supernova by Lisa Lopes is an unusual, original and very personal hip hop album. In other ways it’s irritating, clichéd and very ordinary. On some tracks, the lyrics are sprinkled with rapping clichés to a point where it makes you cringe. In fact, much of Ms Lopes’ rapping is just plain silly, particularly on “Life Is Like A Park” and “Jenny” in which she raps about her breakfast that morning—not very riveting, is it?

The best track on the album is certainly “The Block Party”— it’s smooth, has a catchy rhythm and original lyrics. Other tracks on the album try but lack the same finess, with her rapping constantly breaking the flow of things.

Really big hip-hop fans might like Supernova but personally I think you’d be better off spending your money on a different album.  Tom Ewans

laugh at the hapless goth goons.

Elsewhere it seems that they are attempting to make their noise more accessible. Their take on industrial rock has always had a pop edge to it, but now even more so. The result falls between the two stools with a resounding crash.

Face it, Shirley Manson is the most ridiculous woman in modern music whose name isn’t Geri, and her band are over-produced bollocks. If you want industrial, listen to Nine Inch Nails. If you want pop, listen to Destiny’s Child. But please, for the love of God, don’t buy any more records by these halfwits.  Daniel Hartley

Beautifulgarbage Garbage (Mushroom)

ALBUM REVIEW

ALBUM REVIEW

God Hates us All

The Saga Continues

Slayer (American/Mercury)

P Diddy and the Bad Boy Family (Puff Daddy) SEAN “p. Puff Diddy Daddy” Combs, or whatever his friends like to call him, heads an all-star East coast rap gang in this ridicu-

ALBUM REVIEW

We Love Life Pulp (Island)

This here record is pretty unique.

It sucks in a way this reviewer has never heard an album suck before.

Garbage’s third album is so bad it’s actually hilarious.

It’s all so pretentious, so desperate to be taken seriously, and so pathetically keen to be controversial. Everything is done in such a po-faced fashion that you have to

lously over-long album. Opening with a sample from some American TV show that will instantly have heads scratched trying to work out why it sounds so familiar, is cool but it’s not till “Bad Boy For Life” kicks in that the album starts to work. Unfortunately it then stops working. Sure there’s a couple of nice enough tracks— ”That’s Crazy” is nice and bouncy, if initially irritating and “Child of the Ghetto” welcomes strings back to hip hop as if they’ve never been away—but the trouble is that there’s too much on this album, and, underneath all Diddy’s attempts, he’s just not Dr. Dre and the end production just ain’t got enough of that groove and attitude. Sorry, dog.  Ian Fallon

ALBUM REVIEW

Good metal needs to be both testosterone-pumpingly primal and just plain silly. With a title as dumb as this you’d expect plenty of both here. And this record occa-

ALBUM REVIEW

sionally lives up to that. Some of the lyrics verge on the hilarious— “You’ve got a fucking catheter in your brain/Pissing your common sense away”, which would be great if you could work out what Tom Araya is actually screaming about.

As for masculine brutishness, a few of these songs would serve perfectly for a good mosh. But the record just isn’t varied enough, leaving few tunes recognisable even after several listens. Most of them left me screaming “Make it stop!” at my stereo.

As the sticker on the case says, this will “leave listeners begging for mercy”. Quite.  Nat Rowson

best of them manage to make anguish, heartbreak and emotional distress sound like the most beautiful thing in the world?

Take Liverpool born Kathryn Williams resides near the top of the pile of new British songsmiths. Kathryn, it seems, has had a hard time at the hands of various lovers, all of whom have done her wrong. She sets her tales of woe against a gorgeous backdrop of acoustic guitars, mournful strings and featherweight percussion. Nothing new, but perfectly executed, and when the songs are of this quality, who needs originality?

Williams has a natural ability to raise goosebumps and make your spine tingle. With just one sigh of her intoxicating voice, she can bring a lump to the listener’s throat. Miserable but beautiful, just how it should be.  Daniel Hartley

After a fairly lengthy absence, Pulp are back on the scene.

The sound is polished, atmospheric and a far cry from the basic approach on their earlier albums.

Of course, one of the reasons people love Pulp is their wry

ALBUM REVIEW

Little Black Numbers Kathryn Williams (East West) Why are singer-songwriters always so miserable? How do the

observational lyrics, and this album won’t disappoint. ‘Weeds’ in particular is an intelligent, tragicomic study of society. The general subject matter has branched out, too. Pulp now offer an emotional response to love, life and death.

However, while this is technically very good, it lacks the catchiness of its predecessors.

Those who are expecting eleven re-hashes of “Common People” are advised not to bother, but dedicated Pulp fans should be pleasantly surprised.  Lola Kidney

Victoria Beckham Victoria Beckham (Virgin) This debut album from one half of the galaxy’s most famous couple is remarkably the eighth album to be launched from the now seemingly defunct Spice stable, and is surprisingly quite good, but a long way from perfect. Victoria Beckham predictably consists of R’n’B Lite pop feistiness and sweeping ballads. Debut single “Not Such An Innocent Girl” is pretty much representative - but the stand out track is ambitious ballad “I.O.U”—an ode to yummy husband Becks.

However, with the exception of Geri, all of the Spice Girls seem desperate to avoid realising a pure pop album. The same is true here with the R’n’B production on Victoria’s album making it unremarkable and a little cold.

Victoria’s album is full of good songs, but nothing new or inventive. It would be nice if Victoria’s next effort has a little more fun and a bit less “class.”  James Dawson

MUSIC

music@seren.bangor.ac.uk

SEREN October 2001 11

Talking Mynci Nat Rowson met Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci at Time 10TH OCTOBER. Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci are in Bangor to promote their new LP, How I Long To Feel That Summer In My Heart, which has sold double their previous album in its first week. Tonight they will play a triumphant gig, spanning the whole range of the Gorky’s back catalogue, from whimsical rockouts to reflective acoustic ballads.

“We haven’t played Bangor since about ‘94” says frontman Euros Childs apologetically. In 1995 they recorded a video at the Greek Taverna in which “John wore thick black glasses and a beard and rubbed a glass against his nipple”, but Gorky’s have been depriving North Wales of their genius ever since.

It’s not as if they haven’t been busy though. Since first entering the studio at the age of fifteen in 1991, Gorky’s have released five albums, two mini-albums and several EPs. Their career has certainly had problems as well. In 1998 they were dropped by their record label after their Gorky 5 album failed to sell. Gorky’s hardly seemed to notice however, releasing the superb Spanish Dance Troupe on Mantra a year later. Indeed, Euros sees it as a positive. “Until then we never had much of an angle for the press—my heroin addiction, my battle with booze or whatever.

Now it centred around it’s a dis-

grace you were dropped. Sad but true really.”

Since then everything has changed for Gorky’s. Founder member and co-writer John Lawrence left during Spanish Dance Troupe and long-serving drummer Euros Rowlands followed shortly after. Despite causing obvious upsets in the band, this has helped to keep them fresh even after ten years. “At the moment everything’s new—could be a new band really. It

“At the moment everything’s new.

Could be a new band, really.”

Euros Childs doesn’t feel like ‘oh here’s another song, another album’ cos it’s different people.” Gorky’s survived for a year borrowing band members from Teenage Fanclub and Derrero as well as Super Furries’ protégé Teflon Monkey, but now seem to have finally found a settled line-up.

“Pete’s been here a year (he was previously with Welsh indie heroes Topper), Rhodri (bass) for about two and we’ve got Gwion (keyboards) on this tour.”

The personnel changes have also pushed bassist/guitarist Richard James to the front of the band.

“He’s always written lovely songs.

It’s just been a five year process of getting him to sing and record his own stuff ” says Euros proudly.

Richard is responsible for several of the standout tracks on the new album, including the single “Stood On Gold.”

OK, so they’ve survived being dropped and losing half the band.

Surely they must regret that name?

“Nah. Names mutate into not meaning anything - you don’t think of a nail when you say Jimmy Nail. You think shit. I like it. It’s memorably immemorable.”

The band least likely to have a website have finally got round to it and are enthusiastic about the doors it opens. “We’re doing a tour diary. And we’re thinking of putting live tracks on it, but we’re in the state where it’s hard to get hold of our early stuff so we want to do something with that.

We’d like to put all our EPs on one double CD.” But their future doesn’t only lie in reissuing past glories. “We’ve got new songs coming now. I don’t think it’s going to be anything like this” says Euros, genuinely excited. Whatever it sounds like, you should have learnt that you can depend upon Gorky’s by now.

Cosmic Rough Riders, shown here whilst still on stage

GIG REVIEW

Cosmic Rough Riders Time, 26th September 2001 in kevin Sampson’s excellent novel Powder (about the rise and fall of a Verve-esque indie band), there is a line early on about a gig at Bangor University which was “a fundraiser which no-one really wanted to do.” With the number of bands playing Bangor this year already, I had hoped this attitude was a thing of the past, but Cosmic Rough Riders dashed this optimism into little pieces.

As did the record company for Electric Soft Parade, with the band being forced to pull out of their support slot merely hours before Time opened its doors. The band has promised to make their way

over here soon. Good.

So to the Cosmics, then. As a fan of their Teenage Fanclub-style janglings, I was hoping for something amazing. They were disappointing. Very disappointing. The classic melodies were present, as were the gorgeous three-part harmonies, but something was missing. They gave a performance so devoid of passion it was obvious they didn’t want to be here. The fact that most people defected to the other room didn’t help, but you can hardly blame them when the band were so up there own arses.

After a pathetic 35 minutes, the Cosmics stormed offstage. It later transpired that there were technical problems, which weren’t the band’s fault, but why punish us for it? Because we’re only Bangor Uni that’s why, and we’re not important enough to care about. Nice tunes, shame about the attitude.  Daniel Hartley

Metal mickey-takers Daniel Hartley considers the dubious credentials of Nu-Metal

Should not be famous: Alien Ant Farm

Is there really any difference between Linkin Park and N’ Sync?

Above the obvious factor of what they sound like, there seems to be none whatsoever. Both have stupid names, both are tools of a merciless capitalist marketing machine, both make lowest common denominator aural shite and both are hugely successful. Is there really any difference between Alien Ant Farm covering “Smooth Criminal” and Steps covering “Chain Reaction”? There doesn’t seem to be, yet fans of the new wave of metal seem to think they’re into something deeper and more meaningful than pop music.

Nu-metal is a strange thing. The artists and the audience believe that they are taking part in tra-

ditional rock rebellion, that they are non-conformists kicking against society and the straight-laced cultural hegemony of their peers. They assert this independence by dressing exactly the same as all of their friends, and listening to identikit tuneless dirges shouted by men called Corey. Those the moshers try to distance themselves from (be they called scallies, townies or jocks, depending on where you come from) all dress the same as their friends and listen to identikit saccharine blandness intoned by men called H. People delude themselves into thinking they are different, when in fact they’re doing exactly the same thing to a louder soundtrack.

There is good music coming out of both genres (this writer is a fan of At The Drive-In and Destiny’s Child), but for each good band they are a hundred Limp Bizkits or Hear’Says, peddling bland, soulless rubbish. And at least pop fans seem to be having a good time; Papa Roach’s fanbase seems to be made up entirely of miserable bastards.

I’m not saying pop music is good; I’m just saying that nu-metal is no better. It’s as devoid of imagination, originality, importance and decent tunes as all chart bothering music. And if I hear Alien Ant Farm’s cover of “Smooth Criminal” one more time I’m going to scream.

No, really…

12 SEREN October 2001

MUSIC

music@seren.bangor.ac.uk

Even support bands get reviews GIG REVIEW

Tung/Fubar Time, 26th September

My Vitriol competition Those of you witnessed My Vitriol’s excellent gig in Time last year will be pleased to hear that the nugrungesters are returning to the venue on 1st November—supported by the frankly fantastic Seafood and the frankly terrifying Queen Adreena. It’s gonna be a great night, and some of you lucky, lucky people will be getting in for free, because Seren have two pairs of tickets to give away. To get your hands on this fine prize, all you have to do is answer this stupidly simply question:

What is the title of My Vitriol’s debut album?

Email your answer to music@seren.bangor.ac.uk. Winners will be randomly selected and informed by phone at noon on Wednesday 31st (so make sure we have your phone number). Good luck!

Fubar are a pretty damn good “local” band. Their set was tight, well chosen and really got the crowd going. I think one of their songs was called “Fifty Onions,” then there was one about “Bladder to Eternity,” but that could have been the distortion. The group was obviously really comfortable on stage, helping their very imposing front man whip up the crowd. However they have yet to find their own sound, they are still a little bit too heavily like Limp Bizkit, maybe a dash of Static X in there and other such rap/metal New Rock groups. They have that irritating je ne sais quoi; that most fairly new bands have, “they sound like…” rather than they have their own definable Fubar sound. Maybe that is something for them to work on? The rest, vocals, playing and attitude they have in spades. Fubar you get .

Tung, oooooh yeah! These guys really rock; they are just so fucking good. They’ve been gigging for four years all over the country, probably in toilets, and they’ve also supported really well known bands, not in toilets: the Bloodhound Gang and Napalm Death. And that’s why Tung is so great; you can’t define them by one musical style. They are as funky as really good R&B and Drum’n’Bass, they’re as brutally honest as Death Metal, with deep integral screams to match.

They are so bloody difficult to pin down. They got Ska fans skanking, metallers moshing and others just going mental in the pit. They have a truly unique sound, I can’t tell you what it is, YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE! Rather than listening to the Cosmic Rough Riders, who are frankly not high enough to lick Tung’s boots. Tung have such wonderfully varied, seemingly unmix-and-match-able styles, yet it all works, producing a really good night out. They are so alive on stage you just get swept along. Go and buy their album, it is out on Fierce Panda. Tung, you get !

Frankie O’Dowd

CARLING WEEKENDER COMPETITION It’s great being a journalist.

Back in August, It’s A Scream— home of the famous Yellow Card—very kindly sent Seren to the Carling Weekender, Leeds Festival as part of the It’s A Scream “Supporting Student Talent” programme (which also includes sponsoring the Radio 1 Student Radio Awards).

Seren, along with 50 other student journalists and photographers, was given unprecedented access to the venue and artists, with a total of 43 performers coming into the Temple, It’s A Scream’s own hospitality tent.

As if this weren’t enough, all those who took part helped put together a magazine of reviews and interviews called Yello. If anyone’s interested in getting into journalism—and maybe, It’s A Scream permitting, getting to go next year’s Carling Weekender—write to music@seren.bangor.ac.uk!

And It’s A Scream’s generosity doesn’t stop there. For your chance to win a huge box of festival related goodies—albums, singles, posters, stickers and T-shirts, including albums from Gay Dad, Björk, System of a Down, Royal Trux, Kerrang, Mouse on Mars, And You Will Know Us…, Ladytron, Boy Hits Car, BS2000, a signed Richard Hawley album, a Travis T-shirt and more... well, then all you have to do is answer this simple, if lengthy, question: “It’s A Scream took 50 student journalists to the Carling Weekend, Leeds Festival and gave them a special press tent and pub—the Temple—in the guest area. How many bands came into the tent?”

Send your name, University, email, phone and address to info@kazoo.co.uk. The deadline is the end of October, and the winner will be picked in November so get in there quick.

my summer holiday

movies@seren.bangor.ac.uk

MOVIES

SEREN October 2001 13

Burn, Hollywood, burn Movies editor Chris Chapman considers how the events of September 11th will hit Hollywood The entertainment industry may never be the same again.

And I’m not talking about the farreaching effects of Tom Baker’s startlingly disturbing turn on C4’s Top Ten Sci Fi (“well hello there, my boy...”). Since the World Trade Centre attacks, the movie world has been plunged into a mess of false rumours, reshoots and Brando-sized industry rethinks.

Yeah, yeah, I know it’s callous to be worrying about movies with all the loss of life involved in the stateside disaster, but hey, it’s my obsession.

The first film to have problems with the attack was Sam Raimi’s upcoming Spiderman. Early reports that the majority of the film’s set pieces featured the towers and that the whole Toby Maguire flavoured venture could face complete cancellation proved to be sheer garden fence gossip.

Reshoots are necessary but the project goes ahead unabated.

Unfortunately the teaser posters feature the towers reflected in Spidey’s bug eyes, so have all been pulled from cinemas.

Arnie’s crap looking Collateral Damage has been pulled indefinitely (the Commandotastic plot having Arnie taking revenge on

terrorists for killing his family), so no great loss there, whilst Swordfish was immediately ditched from cinemas (aw well, its run was almost at an end anyway).

But there is a bigger problem now for the industry than simple reshoots, rescheduling and Arnie “comebacks.” Will America’s mainstream ever be able to look at the

Will America’s mainstream ever be able to look at the disaster movie in quite the same way again? disaster movie in quite the same way again? In an industry where an action movie’s money shot is— nine times out of ten—a big old explosion, will people still pay to be reminded of the events of the 11th? The simple and disheartening answer is—yes. It will take some time and some severe tact on the part of the moviemakers, but despite their grief, people will still return to the action movie:

they enjoyed them too much before to let them go entirely.

Though it may seem unthinkable right now, there will inevitably be a film made of the attack; Oliver Stone already seems to be thinking it over. Think about the sinking of the Titanic, it took 50 years for A Night To Remember to reach the screens, but now Titanic is open season and more than capable of becoming the largest grossing film of all time. Could the same thing happen to Twin Towers: The Movie? Distasteful now of course (DeNiro recently kicked a would-be scribe out of a café for offering him a Towers script with Bobby cast as Mayor Giuliani), but it will happen. Then the distancing effect, already caused by the endless TV coverage, will reach its peak and it’s possible that many of us just won’t be able to feel that sad about it all.

One thing is certain: Hollywood will have to steer clear of the ham-fisted handling of Eastern threats as seen in many many 80s movies (even Back To The Future throws in an “Oh No! The Libyans!” line). And certain movie bits— the exploding tower in Die Hard; the smouldering Twin Towers in Independence Day—may well raise

FILM REVIEW

American Pie 2 Now showing at the Plaza Cinema (Cert. 15)

Welcome reappearance: Alyson and her Magic Flute

It’s odd, in a really good way—I liked this film masses more than the original, my first experience in the complete defiance of the rules of sequels. The jokes were cleverer, plot smoother and more engaging, and the characters came across (I guess because they had already been set up, and were now built on winningly) as hugely more complete, and much deeper and warmer.

The story starts a year on from Pie 1. All the characters (and that’s another great thing—really all the characters) have returned home after their first college year, many finding that although they may have conquered fears of virginity, fears of life after high school

hackles the next time they pop up on telly.

On the other hand, to avoid the issue could be even worse.

Zoolander, Ben Stiller’s upcoming comedy vehicle, was shot in New York before the attack but decided to digitally erase the towers before release—surely in the same ballpark as denying the Holocaust. At the other end of the scale, the sight of the partially submerged towers in Spielberg’s future vision AI is jarringly disturbing.

One message that kept on pouring forth from September 11th witnesses and TV viewers to the extent that it was a cliché within hours, was how much like a movie the whole attack seemed. Perhaps that was the key shocker of the attack: that we’ve been seeing these sorts of images for years but previously they have been as escapism. Now we just want to escape from them. For now, Hollywood will just have to stay clear of the stampede.

are now dominant. Anxious about how he and his friends will hold together after a weighty year apart, Kevin turns to his elder brother once more for advice—as a result, he, Jim, Oz and Finch, plus Stiffler, rent a house on the lakeside for the Summer, living several months

of intrusions by parents, footballs in guts and trumpets up arses, this time there’s an air of aware, affectionate irony and somehow your heart goes out to the victims; and the humour benefits by miles. Admittedly, in many ways Pie 2 just looks to replicate hit set-piece scenes from its predecessor—Stiffler drinking ejaculate-complemented beer, or from the internet broadcast in Pie 1 to a radio transmission of jousting sexual favours with “lesbians”.

Most times, though, it builds brilliantly on the original, and there are masses of great in-jokes and self-references.

Although it’s weird to use terms like these when reviewing an American Pie film, it’s due to a self-aware influence of sensitivity and—even—restraint, plus the fact that it actually thinks (just a bit, y’know…) puts Pie 2 way ahead of its comrades—it’s not a great work of art, but it’s easy to become part of, it’s really funny, and it’s thoroughly enjoyable.  Jon Mason

Hugely more complete, and much deeper and warmer than the original. of parties, piss-artistry and personal revelation.

American Pie 2 is a lot less cruel than the original. My biggest problem with the first film (daft as it sounds given the subject) was that so much of it felt like being led to point and laugh at people who were less lucky or cool than us. The sequel is so much kinder though—although there are loads

14 SEREN October 2001

FILM REVIEW

Jeepers Creepers Now showing at the Llandudno Cineworld (Cert. 18) JEEPERS CREEPERS: the outlandish tale of what happens when The Creature From The Black Lagoon decides to grow his hair long, dress like a Bohemian and set up shop in a church smack dab in the middle of nowhere.

Victor Salva’s “Best American Horror Movie Of The Last Ten Years” (according to the poster) is disheartening to watch. Initially, it greets us with a sustained twenty minutes of tense, well directed and rather disturbing horror. Bickering siblings, Trish and Darri, stumble across an old church, with Darri stoopedly jumping down a dark pipe. The scene that follows in the church’s basement is the best thing here. It steals an idea directly

from Aliens but attempts it in such a cocksure manner that the sheer scale of what Darri sees is really rather freaky. Salva’s trick of mixing the fear of wide open spaces with hole in the ground claustrophobia is extremely effective.

Sadly, Salva simply doesn’t know what to do with his movie post-cellar chiller. It’s as if he had a nasty dream that depicted the opening but he just didn’t have the seeds sown in his mind of where to go next. We are immediately plunged into the old-as-Richard Harris cliché of “heroes ask for help in unhelpful hillbilly diner,” followed by an “Ah, the cops will do you no good!” attack. In fact, Salva seems unable to offer up anything more than an exploded microwave full of bits from other movies. Deliverance, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Breakdown and Duel all end up being entirely violated. Poor things. Also present is the annoying fake scare technique (example: “argh! Oh, it’s just the phone. Phew.”), as well as some really repetitive death scenes all along the lines of “Nope, nothing

MOVIES

movies@seren.bangor.ac.uk

’Ello Darlin’: Evil demon fingered in Terry Pratchett hat-use shocker here! Argh!” or “Drip, drip? Argh!”

But things get worse. The first Halloween film subtly played with the idea that Michael might not be mortal. Jeepers Creepers in contrast seems to want to be as subtle as a crazy haired scientist (played by Chris Tucker) attempting to laser a naked likeness of Adolf Hitler onto the surface of the moon. The villain turns from disturbingly burly shadow man to Steven Hendry

complexion Lurch baddie to immortal pointy teeth winged demon of doom. A character arc that took the overblown Friday the 13th series nine movies to achieve.

The last half hour, full of loose ends and terrible lines quickly moves into boredom territory and leads us spluttering towards the disappointing non-ending.

It’s all a real shame as from time to time, Salva’s imagery is really

ANTITRUST

This is a very slick hi-tech thriller.

Unfortunately that’s it. There’s very little substance to it with the exception of every single vaguely appropriate movie cliché. The plot - a subThe Net computer based yawn-fest is predictable to the extent that it’s possible to run a book on the final ‘twist’. And that’s what’s so frustrating about this film, ‘cos the directing is fine (even though it tries to be a little bit too arty at times), and the acting is superb - especially Tim Robbins not being Bill Gates. He’s not Bill Gates to the extent that a t-shirt saying ‘I am NOT Bill Gates’ would seem like an invitation to sue.

But the plot, and so the film as a result, is, at best, mind numbing crap. Maybe that’s what it set out to be, but frankly I’d rather watch the appalling mid-nineties Hackers as at least it has tits in it.  Ian Fallon

The Gift

Seemingly tiring of the unhinged, tongue in cheek lunacy of his Evil Dead series, horror genius Sam Raimi has instead opted for a Sixth Sense-esque psychological chiller for his latest venture. The results are disappointing to say the least; The Gift is a horrible mess of a movie, filled with cringe-worthy performances horror clichés. Sigh.

Never has Seren seen such a wide range in actor quality in a movie. The peerless Cate Blanchett is predictably excellent (possibly the best female actor of her generation), while Katie Holmes and Gary Cole acquit themselves well. Keanu Reeves’ redneck accent is hilarious, Giovanni Ribisi hams for all his worth

effective—the opening heat haze long shot, the pool of light in the cellar, the demon against moon.

Unfortunately the unlikeable characters, dodgy baddie, terrible back story of the “hey, this is where Jimmy and Timmy were found twenty years ago… without their heads!” variety and an awful monotonous script ended up scaring this reviewer a lot more than anything that was supposed to. 

THE TAILOR OF PANAMA

MOVI ES TO RENT and Hilary Swank should have her Oscar taken away.

Raimi seems out of his depth here. He paces the movie slowly, hoping that this will create a spooky atmosphere, when in fact he creates only boredom. If you want a creepy film, full of subtle shades of fear, go and rent Blair Witch or Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now. Leave this clunker well alone.  Dan Hartley

EXIT WOUNDS

Despite the ridiculous plot line and the total absence of good dialogue Exit Wounds is better than your average Hollywood studio action film.

Steven Segal in the lead part is worse than wooden but the action is generally very good. Lots of explosions and satisfying cartoon violence.

When you’re in a frustrated mood a

bit of film violence usually makes you feel better. Almost every character in the film seems to be an expert at martial arts; they are always using fancy karate moves on each other when a kick in the nuts would do the job. Despite this, the karate scenes are spectacular and the whole film in general has an impressive and very modern look to it.

In short this won’t be hailed as the next Casablanca or Schindlers List but it’s still very entertaining all the same.  Tom Ewens

THE WEDDING PLANNER

True story: I used to have a really nice group of friends, and they all loved me. Until I made them watch this film.

Please believe me when I say that this is not a good film. The blurb

tells us that; “In a classic Hollywood pairing they sizzle together like two idols from the silver screen.” This is a lie. “The Wedding Planner” has two problems: firstly, an awful script and nonsensical plot; Secondly, the complete lack of chemistry between Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey, which the whole film depends upon.

Ironically, the supporting cast is quite good. Bridget Wilson-Sampras brings some warmth and scattiness to what could have been the “other woman” role. However, the downfall of this is that you unintentionally want her to marry McConaughey and get the happy ending.

I like rom-coms, but this made me bored and it’s not especially romantic or funny. Feel free to rent The Wedding Planner, but it’s your funeral.  James Dawson

Tailor of Panama is almost like an anti-spy film. It proceeds to take a great stylish piss on every suave and gentlemanly spy image that was ever cast on celluloid. You can almost hear Pierce Brosnan groaning in delight as he rips his Bond persona apart with his role of Andrew Osnard, a british spy for whom the adjective ‘bastard’ seems like a compliment. Add to this the wonderful Geoffrey Rush as an ex-con and you would think there is no way it could go wrong. Well, it does. Due to a slow start and a somewhat unsatisfying ending the film seems to lose all the fun it exudes most of the way through. But don’t let this deter you.

On this month of November when most releases seem extremely dry , The Tailor of Panama makes a fun diversion.  E. Ersoy

The Watcher

There’s an old saying. ‘Who watches The Watcher?’ Well I did, and it wasn’t that bad. This tale of a deadly game of cat and mouse between messed up cop James Spader and an even more messed up Keanu ‘one expression for all emotions’ Reeves, is decent but forgettable Saturday night video fodder. While not massively scary or gory, it does have it’s moments of excitement with decent, often stylish, direction aiding matters. And the explosive climax, while being a load of bull, does kick arse. There are better killer-thillers out there, and this isn’t one of them. But then there are awful ones, and this isn’t one of them either.  Iwan Benneyworth

All titles available to rent now from Albin’s Video on College Road

16 SEREN October 2001

GAMES

games@seren.bangor.ac.uk

GAME REVIEW

Mario Kart: Super Circuit Game Boy Advance

TIF 2002 aims to recreate the stadium experience

GAME REVIEW

This is Football 2002 Playstation 2 Football games tend be like racing games; the good ones are excellent, while the rest are abysmal wastes of everyone’s time. In order to be any good, a footy game must either show some originality (like Liberogrande International), or just have solid gameplay and good graphics (the all-conquering FIFA series). So, is the latest in a long line of soccer sims a graceful, unstoppable Brazil, or just another flat, uninspiring Wales?

First off, the graphics are stunning. The players move realistically,

and in the more famous teams they have recognisable facial features.

The crowd members are individually animated, and the weather conditions are extremely convincing.

On long shots, it almost feels as if you’re watching the match on TV. TIF 2002 also plays well. The controls are instinctive, and pulling off some fancy moves is relatively easy. There have been better control systems on footy games (the aforementioned FIFA), but this is more than adequate. The level of difficulty is also perfectly judged, with France being harder to beat than Rotherham United. This may seem glaringly obvious, but some football games fall down at this hurdle.

Another plus is the large number of teams available. These range from national sides (from Brazil to, yes, Wales) to domestic teams from around the world. For example, the English and Scottish first divi-

sions are represented. The sheer number of teams harks back to the good old days of Sensible Soccer on the Amiga, and is a most welcome feature.

There are, of course, a number of downsides. The less popular teams don’t even have the right player names, let alone the famous faces of the bigger squads. So, although you can play as the mighty Sheffield Wednesday, there’s no real player names, which diminishes the experience.

Even more irritating, though, is the commentary. Sports games feel the need to have annoying football pundit’s voices on a loop, saying the same things fifteen times a match. It is a device that never works, and this is no exception.

In conclusion then, not a bad game by any stretch, though it’s been done better. Not quite Brazil, more like Holland.  Dan Hartley

MAD! A sideways glance at bonkers games 1. Manic Miner (1983)

Long gone are the days of the Spectrum, with its rubber keys and tape-based tomfoolery, but still with us are the memories of the truly wonderful games that strove against the garish primary-colour display to present us with an experience never to be forgotten. Leading those brave souls was a small white man with no fear and an insatiable lust for shiny things. His name was Miner Willy.

The task was simple: lead Willy to the sparkly items (usually keys) and then put him in a box.

Repeat. In his way were many weird and wonderful creatures, such as mutant pom-poms, killer telephones, carnivorous khazis, and a fat man with a trumpet for a face. Utterly barking, and, in my humble opinion, inferior only to the game that came after it: Jet Set Willy, in which he would meet pirouetting kangaroos and grumpy penguins, and even turn into a pig with wings (although it

could’ve been anything—this was on a Spectrum 48K after all).

Often imitated, never beaten, Willy remains the king of the platform collect-‘em-up. But the best bit of both games? The falling foot that snuffed out his life after your miserable attempts at success.

All together now—eeeeeeeeeeeee splat. Classic!

Mario Kart is a wonderful thing.

The SNES original was one of the most addictive games that ever graced a little plastic box. This reviewer was bursting Battle Mode balloons and vainly attempting to beat time trial records for a quite absurd duration. So, with the lack of any really decent games thus far on the GBA, it was quite lovely to see Mario Kart: Super Circuit zoom over the horizon. My old addictive plaything was back in town.

The GBA version has a definite retrospective advantage over its two predecessors. It presents itself in the style of the SNES version, yet borrows many ideas from the N64—three lap tracks, the leaderseeking spiky shell and, thankfully, the ability to save time trial

ghosts.

The graphics here are significantly better than the original version, giving a lot more detail to the backgrounds and making the races themselves as smooth as you could possibly hope for. Still, this isn’t 32 bit quality graphics: the SNES was only 16 bit and this isn’t that much better.

Gameplay remains much the same, but it does feel great just to have the option of playing it anywhere, against up to three other people. And the impressive thing here is the volume of tracks they’ve managed to cram in – twenty new ones, plus the twenty old ones from the original game (yay!). It may reek of a lack of designer confidence in the new tracks, but who cares? Come to me, Lady Nostalgia, we share the same bed tonight....

To sum up, Super Circuit, by combining the successes of the other games, has become the best Mario Kart game there is, and probably the best game on the GBA right now.  Chris Chapman

Small but perfectly-formed: Mario busts a left

GAME REVIEW

Dark Cloud Playstation 2 One thing the PS2 will never be short of is RPGs. The Japanese are plainly mad for them, and for years we’ve been knee-deep in Final Fantasies, Zeldas and Phantasy Stars, in as many shapes, sizes and formats as you could imagine. So when a new one arrives, it can be quite difficult to really give a damn.

Dark Cloud does little to change this. A moderately pretty intro (more effectively atmospheric than technically good), backed by woefully tinny and lifeless music, leads up to the standard half-hour of plot-intensive exposition. Apparently, some big evil mad bloke has decided to summon a huge, fat, pink demon known as the Dark Genie to wreak vengeance on everybody for no discernible reason.

The result is that your home vil-

lage, and all the people within it, are turned into orbs, and cast all around the globe. Your task is to find these orbs, break them open, and restore everything to normal.

Jesus....

In effect, this game involves running around in caves, hitting things with a variety of weapons in a realtime situation which is more Phantasy Star than Final Fantasy. Once you have smashed an orb, though, things become a bit more amusing, as you then have to arrange buildings, roads and rivers as you see fit, in a manner reminiscent of Theme Park. There is also a faintly daftsounding fishing sub-game, where fish can be caught and exchanged for items.

Dark Cloud isn’t bad. It offers a pleasant distraction, but it simply doesn’t stand out from the crowd.

The characters seem devoid of weight, and the dialogue is as bobbins as the music, but there is still much fun to be had. Fans of RPGs may want to check it out, but don’t expect any revelations. 

games@seren.bangor.ac.uk

GAMES

SEREN October 2001 17

It’s hip to be square Mike McGeachin gets his hands on Nintendo’s new GameCube Another issue, another Nintendo. This time, we take a step away from the realm of sweet little handheld doobies, and take a long, lingering look at one of the new titans of gaming: the GameCube. Thanks to those helpful fellows at Acme (the Lower Bangor-based purveyors of quality games, comics and action figures), I was able to try out one of these shiny new consoles ahead of the official release schedule, and here, for your reading pleasure, are my findings.

Firstly, the look. It seems that Nintendo have gone mad for miniature, as the ‘Cube would probably fit comfortably into half a shoebox. Resembling Sega’s unfairly-shunned Dreamcast, it is a top-loading affair with four controller sockets in the front, and, like the Game Boy Advance I tested last issue, it comes in a pleasant matt blue case, and will later be decked out in a variety of hues like the GBA. Pink Gamecube, anyone?

The controllers (also blue) look rather odd. Resembling in many ways a Dreamcast/PS2 crossbreed, they feature a plethora of initially confusing controls. Naturally, there is the digital D-pad, four main buttons (A, B, X and Y) and two ergonomically designed shoulder buttons. Added to this, we also find two analogue controls, one grey, one yellow. But it is the layout which surprises. One analogue control sits top-left, and the other bottom-right with the four main buttons just above. These buttons are arranged so that the A sits centrally, with a round B to its side, and the two other, sausageshaped buttons above. Add to this a microscopic Start button lying in the middle like a deformed navel, then so far, so Picasso. Thankfully, though, after some faltering, the controls do become intuitive, and

the pad sits quite comfortably in your hands.

And so on to the games! In keeping with the midget-friendly design of the console itself, the games come on the tiniest discs you ever did see—you could drop one in your pint if you so chose— and are sold in cases which look like those of PS2 games, but much, much smaller. Two games were on hand at the time: Waverider, a jetski racer, and Luigi’s Mansion, the

The games come on the tiniest discs you ever did see. token Mario Bros. release.

Waverider amazed all who were present. The graphics redefine the word ‘stunning’. The characters move fluidly, and there are absolutely no rough edges to be seen.

The water draws the most comment: the riders create reflections on its surface as it undulates up and down, shimmering as it goes, and the jet-skis kick up perfect bursts of spray across the screen.

It’s all so realistic you have to check yourself for wet patches (clean your mind!). The game itself is generic, but still fun. There seem to be options to choose from, but, as the text was all in Japanese, I didn’t know what they were. Oh well....

Luigi’s Mansion was a more intriguing affair. Eschewing the standard platform-o-rama of the previous games, this takes the form of a cutesy adventure game, in which (and this is all down to guesswork—this was also in its untranslated Japanese form) Mario’s idiot brother tries to hoover up the ghosts which inhabit his abode. The controls are used

v e r y effect i v e l y, with one analogue s t i c k moving the diminu t i v e plumber around, and the other controlling a useful ‘look’ feature, allowing you to take in all of the beautifully realised 3D interiors. There are various modes of attack (which, at first, seem to include Luigi bleating for help from his bro—odd, but very nicely done, like all the sounds), and a Resident Evil-esque map (presented on a “Game Boy Horror”— can’t beat a bit of self-referential humour, can you?). One worth checking out if you are fluent in Japanese and can tell what the hell is going on. Otherwise, you may want to wait for the English release.

All told, it seems that Nintendo have hit the mark once again. The ‘Cube is a spanking little system set for world domination—if it is backed up with good games.

And there’s the problem. Nintendo have an unappealing habit of catering solely for the younger gamer, who would feel loth to splash out all their pocket money on a new console when the PS2 is only £200 and already has an impressive back catalogue. The Playstation buried the N64 for much the same reasons, despite the latter being technically superior, and the PS2 has the advantage of backward compatibility, so Nintendo will have to play things very carefully. With Microsoft waiting in the wings to throw in their twopenn’orth with the X-Box, it’s going to be an interesting Christmas.

Waverider: water-based fun for one or more

Luigi’s Mansion: Who you gonna call?

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FEATURES

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SEREN October 2001 19

Vive la difference?

The New Republican explores the English/Welsh divide I’ve just finished watching a heated debate on the existence of Welsh racism, if such a thing exists at all. Being an English-speaking Welshman, like so many of my friends (who like me have at least one parent who’s English), I think I can offer an informed view on why there’s all this tension between the two camps. Now it’s important for you the reader to realise that the majority of Welsh and English get on really well, it’s just a few groups who cause the problems. This article is not intended to be racist, offensive or derogatory to Welsh people, many of whom are a credit to the country.

The argument started when Simon Glyn, a Plaid Cymru councillor, made some allegedly racist comments concerning the influx of English people/speakers and the subsequent erosion of the Welsh community life in a cultural, linguistic and social/economic (higher house prices) sense.

Now Mr Glyn and others like him have a point. The Welsh language is in the minority and to an extent is endangered. As many people have said, the defence of a minority culture is not a racist thing. It’s how you go about the saving that counts, and I’ve learnt over the years that when you’re trying to accomplish something the worst thing you can do is piss people off—because pissing off enough of them will lead to a storm which clouds the very issue you’re trying to address, and secondly will more than likely come back and bite you in the arse (two things Mr Glyn has had to deal with). From a Welsh standpoint I would feel that Mr Glyn and others had in fact damaged the cause, whatever their positive meanings.

Remember, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

As both an Englishman and a Welshman I’m very disappointed that when such comments are raised, some Welsh people bring up English “imperialism, occupation and oppression” as reasons for Wales’ plight. In fact, it offends me.

These people have no idea what true oppression or occupation are.

True oppression is when you speak up for your beliefs then get hauled away by the secret police, tortured for days and are then murdered or used as slave labour until your broken body gives in. True occupa-

tion is when you and your whole village are shot as punishment for resistance actions against the occupiers. To my knowledge none of this happens in Wales.

And the imperialist claim? Need I remind anyone that Wales, being part of Britain, was just as enthusi-

In my secondary school we were segregated according to language.

Two classes for English and four for Welsh. A lot of the barriers were lifted as we grew older and maturity rose, but from the early years nasty comments were still made towards the English-speak-

Europe then I’d prefer to live in an English hall, I’ll admit that. But one of the most attractive things about Uni is meeting new people and making new friends, whatever country or culture they come from, leading to a greater understanding and appreciation of their lan-

“The defence of a minority culture is not a racist thing. It’s how you go about the saving that counts.” astic as the rest of the Isles about providing men and resources to conquer a quarter of the planet?

To be positive, despite what people say, the Welsh language will never die out. It’s too well documented in millions of dictionaries and texts to simply disappear, and someone, somewhere, will always speak it. It’s when a Native American language disappears off the face of the earth as the last tribesman dies that you should feel some kind of a tragic loss. Don’t worry, Welsh is here to stay in one form or another, and if we play our cards right, might even increase in popularity with positive promotion of tourism and culture (which is why negative language concerning outsiders is never helpful, whether directed at the English or not).

Comments from certain nationalists have been regarded as offensive, hostile or so close to the edge that even a slight breeze would send them over. And the real shame of it is that by now, I’m used to it.

ers. Indeed even during A-levels, with mixed classes, the Englishand Welsh-speakers stuck to their own little groups at opposite ends of the common room. And that’s the saddest part of it.

Forget the anti-English people sentiment, that’s not really the crux of the matter. What it boils down to is the English language/culture.

Most of us at school were born and bred in Wales: it was the language that separated us.

Even now at University, the same voluntary segregation applies. Most of the Welsh students are in Neuadd John Morris Jones. They say that this allows them to preserve their culture, language and way of life as well as sharing a friendly community spirit. This is true. But if you follow this logic then you’d have to give separate halls to Asian students so they could maintain the same values. Ditto Europeans, Latin Americans, Africans, Christians, Muslims, Jews and so on.

Of course if I were studying in

guages, cultures and lifestyles. This is easier if they live with you.

Some Welsh people moan that English students don’t take any time to learn Welsh or appreciate the values mentioned above. To quote English mates: ‘how are we meant to learn and share this stuff when the Welsh guys keep themselves to themselves? Maybe if we had Welsh people among us we would make the effort, but since we live with just English students, what’s the point? They accuse us of not making an effort, but if you ask us it’s a fifty-fifty blame, and this self-segregation doesn’t help.’

Hmmm, fair enough. I’m inclined to agree about self-segregation, but I think we in Bangor will have to live with it, as closing down John Morris Jones would cause such an uproar. Still, point made.

I can speak Welsh fairly well but choose not to. I’m rusty and I’m getting worse, but you know what? I don’t really care. Is that wrong of me? Well, that’s up to

you, but it is a result of the divisions I have described above. I found out that despite my Welsh birth it was my first language of English that defined me in some people’s eyes, leading in rare cases to the negativity associated with being “English.”

And so in my own way I chose to rebel. I said “OK then, you want to play it that way, fine. Screw your language.” Thus I turned to my English side, and, dare I say it, I’m sure that’s what happened with most of my English-speaking Welsh friends, as well as being the attitude of a lot of English incomers.

I must stress that I do not regard myself as “English,” just as I do not regard myself as “Welsh.” I am British. While the Union consists of semi-autonomous states we all fall under one government, one flag and one country—Great Britain.

We are all the same in many ways and this is why, to quote Cartman, “nationalism pisses me off ”—be it Welsh, English or any other. We are all equals and all of the same people. There is nothing wrong with patriotism. Indeed some of our differences can be our greatest strengths—so long as it’s kept in perspective that we share more similarities than we do differences, and national feeling doesn’t just boil over as it sometimes threatens to do in Wales.

What I’m trying to get at is that when you look at what’s going on in the world today, with economic recession, suffering, starvation and now the troubles in Afghanistan, it kinds of puts our little debate into the perspective it deserves.

It is for all the above reasons that a Union Jack hangs above my bedroom doorway. It is a testament to my faith in the Union of Great Britain and how triumph can come out of coexistence and co-operation, rather that division and rivalries. So just remember that moral the next times this racism debate emerges, because it is that message and the positive spirit it promotes that could save Wales more than anything else.

Opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Seren or the Students’ Union. Seren is happy to receive reponses for publication, which should be sent to letters@seren.bangor.ac.uk.

seren

20 SEREN October 2001

EDITORIAL AND COMMENT

editor@seren.bangor.ac.uk

Students’ Union, Deiniol Road, Bangor LL57 2TH

Tel: 01248 388017 Fax: 01248 388020 http://seren.bangor.ac.uk

Spreading the cost

As the government continues towards its arbitrary target of 50% of school leavers entering University, so the bill mounts. So we should not be surprised to find it looking more and more to the taxpayer to fund its social engineering projects. “There is,” admitted Education Secretary Estelle Morris last Tuesday, “no other way.” It now appears that those who enter Higher Education after 2003 may be expected to pay increased income tax to “repay” the cost of their education.

The tax is, ideologically, no different to a student loan. The government forwards to a student a certain amount of taxpayers’ money to assist with his or her studies; and then, once the student is in a position to repay the money, the government reclaims it on behalf of the taxpayer. This is not, on the face of it, grossly offensive. Indeed, in removing the detested Student Loans Company from the equation, a graduate tax could in fact provide a better service to graduates.

Under the present system, students are effectively forced to become debtors of a private company. On graduation they must authorise this company to withdraw funds from their accounts without notice, and should their circumstances change the onus is upon them to satisfy the company that it should pause its systematic harvesting of their money. An automatic 1% deduction from a graduate’s income would be a far simpler and less intrusive way to achieve the same aim—and, if the figure remains at 1%, only very high earners will retire having paid more in total than they would have under the present scheme.

Since attaining a University degree is becoming a general expectation, rather than a mark of distinction in a specific area, we must welcome any move that eases the financial burden it places on students.

It would, however, be fairer still to foster a society that allows school leavers an unprejudiced choice of whether to spend three years and upwards of £10,000 acquiring skills they may well never use.

Great expectations

there was much that was memorable about this year’s Serendipity (not least the flying fish); but one aspect that struck me particularly was the way that practically every stall, regardless of what it was trying to promote, was giving out free condoms. Even one drama group was gaily proferring prophylactics, with the slogan “if you’re joining us, you’ll need one of these.” Nothing wrong with that, of course, as a humorous pitch to students; but the overall effect was unfortunate. Alongside three religious groups, two mobile phone suppliers a band and a choir, Serendipity offered six opportunities to get free condoms. The obvious conclusion was that, whatever else students might want to do, they were supposed to be having sex.

I’m not suggesting for a second that this was the intended message. But if, like most students, you’re unhappily single, being invited six times over to help yourself to condoms isn’t going to make you feel any more attractive. Worse, it raises expectations among students of both sexes which can trap them in horrible situations. I’m sure many of you will recognise the kind of thing I’m talking about.

Free condoms are not a bad idea. There will always be students who do have sex: let’s at least try to help them avoid infections and unwanted pregnancies. But perhaps next year the CCSO or Welfare Officer might address the context in which they’re given out.

Feeling sexually unwanted is painful and destructive, and if the Students’ Union, while contining to support couples, can show more sensitivity towards single students it will be a better—and more representative—institution.

LATE PUBLICATION OF THIS ISSUE Due to failures on the part of an external company, this month’s Seren appears four days after its advertised publication date. Details will appear in next month’s issue pending legal advice. We offer our sincere apologies to our readers, staff and advertisers, and have taken every measure to ensure future issues appear on schedule.

Darien Graham-Smith editor@seren.bangor.ac.uk

“PAY AS YOU LEAVE”

State of the Union President James Brownsell reviews the month Hi everyone! My name’s James.

Well, what a month it has been!

Freshers’ week was the most successful ever, with 89 stalls at Serendipity on each day and record numbers of thirsty students dancing their socks off in Time. The community of Bangor opened its arms to some 2,000 fresh-faced new students, plus around 6,000 returnees. Many friends have been made, and much beer has been drunk.

I have actually tried to write this article eight times, trying to summarise the month and put my spin on things. Every time I finish, however, something else happens and I have to start again. I’ve lived in Bangor for a while now, and nothing much has happened in all that time. “So why is it,” I ask myself, “that suddenly all this crazy stuff is going on in the world?” Let’s see what we’ve had to put up with since the start of term… a government U-turn on tuition fees, world war breaking out, Gorky’s playing in Time, World Mental Health day, bombs in Bangor, the IRA decommissioning weapons, NUS sending us bilingual campaign material, the possession of Cannabis becoming no longer an arrestable offence, the return of Bob Connerton….

So what is going on? Part of my job is taking the blame for things that go wrong (I was even blamed for the entire foot & mouth out-

break in one committee meeting!), but even I can’t put my hands up to events on this scale. I’ve been ‘in office’ since the first of August, and I haven’t declared war on anyone yet, so I think my term of Presidency can’t be going too badly. I know that it’s early days yet, and there will be plenty of opportunities for me to mess up in really big ways!

I have actually tried to write this article eight times.

By now, even the most ardent of those Fresher’s week hangovers will have subsided. Your memory may not be intact, but now you’re settling down into your academic routine and trying to get used to life as a student. Great, isn’t it?

I hope you’re loving it as much as I do. Balancing the demands of lectures with the freedom to do whatever you want is one of the best things about student life.

One of the worst things about student life, however, is that you’re skint. All the time. It’s not a new thing—since time immoral, being a student and being skint are two facets of life that walk hand in hand like a pair of new lovers leav-

ing the Octagon. It’s not something you didn’t realise before you came here (by the way, it rains here, too!).

Just because being povertystricken is something we expect, doesn’t mean that it is something we should accept. The government has recently announced a review of student funding. We must use this time to hammer home the message to those bods in Whitehall that this is a real issue that directly affects three million people in Britain. So what can we do, stuck up here in Bangor?

We can use the local and national media (they like us) to put pressure on the key decision makers of the country. November 13th sees a rally against student hardship in the Main Arts car park (at 1pm), we have invited a number of prominent speakers, and already have confirmed that Prof. Roy Evans, Vice-Chancellor (the top man) of UWB, will be speaking.

He’s the bloke that you get your degree from when you graduate, so if you want to know what he thinks about this issue, turn up it’ll be great! We’ll have banners and placards and all sorts of fun stuff!

I’ve got to go now, and get on with some work. Please email me (james@undeb.bangor.ac.uk) if you want to know more about what it is that the Union does. Take care now—we’ll speak soon…

letters@seren.bangor.ac.uk

LETTERS

SEREN October 2001 21

Letters to the Editor Send correspondence to letters@seren.bangor.ac.uk.

Jock’s trap

Leave the royals alone

SIR—Everyone is aware of how horribly Jock’s Bar is decorated, and it’s certainly not helped by the peeling paint, broken floor tiles and falling apart, mismatched furniture. However, since they are running yoga classes in there, I would have thought that they would at least brush the floor. It’s hard enough to relax in a room that looks like that, without trying to do it lying on a floor covered in beer, ash and fag ends. We are also unable to switch the lights on because the switches are behind the bar, and last time I went it was freezing cold. Please, someone, get it together!

Unrelaxed in Bangor

SIR—Regarding the campaign to remove the Prince of Wales from the Chancellorship of UWB: only forty or so students actually turned up to the General Meeting in which this motion was passed, so the fact that 70% voted for it is not as great an endorsement as Mabon Ap Gwynfor would like to think. In fact, had someone exercised their right to call quorum, the meeting would have had to be abandoned.

One argument put forward by the former President was that the Queen’s annual civil list payments exceed £10M. The actual civil list payment to the Queen is, and has been since 1991, £7.9M a year. Mabon also claimed that “the royals receive millions of pounds from the British government.” Only two other members of the royal family receive civil list pay-

Seren replies: Moves are afoot to redecorate Jock’s. Consultation is being headed by Robert PirieWarsop, so send your views to robpw@undeb.bangor.ac.uk.

ments: the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen Mother, who both receive less than £1M. Let’s not forget that the Queen owns the Duchy of Lancaster, which last year made about £140M in revenue. In compliance with an Act of Parliament, Her Majesty hands this over to the Treasury, which in return pays her annual allowance. Since the cost of the monarchy was last year estimated at £40M, the monarchy more than pays for itself.

If the Union wants someone to blame for the state of education and health it should blame the Prime Minister. After all, he is the one who makes the laws!

Prince Charles has only ever done what is expected of him.

I for one would be extremely honoured to receive my degree from the future head of state.

Shaun Howie

Mind your language SIR—I attach a copy of September’s Seren in which I have highlighted all the swear words for your attention. I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that all my non-Christian friends have commented to me that it would be a great improvement if language more fitting were used.

Thus I am not expressing a minority opinion.

As Editor you will be aware that any self-respecting newspaper in the world of media and journalism grabs the minds of its readers by creatively expressing language from a wide vocabulary. If, as Julie Neild suggests on page 15, many of your staff “want experience in journalism,” I am sure they would be able to prepare themselves much more fully for the future by perusing the dictionary rather than the realms of blasphemy.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

Claire Watkins Seren replies: Seren is distributed to over 8,000 students, so unless you have an awful lot of friends, you can’t really be certain yours isn’t a minority viewpoint.

Seren does not set out to offend any of its readers; but, in line with the inclusive ethos of the Students’ Union, it does seek to represent the full range of student voices in Bangor. Inevitably this means that not every article will reflect the taste of every reader.

For the record, last month’s Seren contained 15,958 words, of which you identify eight (including “damn” on page 8 and “fan-bloody-tastic” on page 10) as offensive. By modern cultural standards this hardly seems excessive. If any other readers wish to criticise or support Seren’s use of language, we’re always happy to receive your letters.

Poor value for money SIR—I am a third year linguistics student. Each year I pay £1,000 in tuition fees. That’s £500 per term. I have only ten lectures this term, making each lecture cost £50. Add to that the £900 accom-

modation fees required to attend my one lecture a week and you being to wonder what the point actually is. I’ll leave over £10,000 in debt for so little education.

I disagree with having to pay for an education we should all be freely entitled to. But if our government insists on us paying, would it not be fairer to charge fees in proportion to the number of hours of teaching students are given? People with thirty to forty hours of lectures may disagree with me, but a more rational and fairer system is definitely needed.

Name Withheld

Entertain us SIR—I have recently seen a copy of September’s Seren, and was really disapointed that the Union paper not only had listings for other clubs in Bangor, namely the Octagon, but also hadn’t even got the event listings for the Union correct. For future reference there are complete listings of what is going on in the Union on our web page at www.undeb.bangor.ac.uk/ entscom.

I’m working very hard to get an Ents Committee together that will work. How am I meant to be able to prove to people that it can work, and that they can come and join us, and to stop people complaining about entertainments in the Union, if the image that Seren gives is one of disorganisation?

Georgie Whetham Ents Committee Chair

Funnier than Chapman SIR—I think you’ll find it wasn’t Chris Chapman who submitted the “cheese/photographs” question to September’s letters page. It was me, and I demand credit for being cleverer and funnier than Chapman. I demand!

Disgruntled Ms. H. Seren replies: Seren is happy to acknowledge that somebody who did not give a name is funnier and cleverer than Chapman.

Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

22 SEREN October 2001

SPORT

sport@seren.bangor.ac.uk

Toga party A toga party in the Main Bar would involve foolhardy individuals wrapping themselves in sheets or towels to cross Bangor in a less than pleasant climate. That’s probably why it hasn’t happened before—until this year that is. This fundraising event organised by the Canoe Club attracted an insane number of people to the Students’ Union, and the majority of them came in the aforementioned attire.

A good night was had by all, so congratulations to the Canoe Club!

Stars in Their Eyes night

Women’s Hockey Firsts: Last year’s Gwynedd Tournament winners got off to a flying start in this year’s BUSA competition.

BUSA Report The latest on Bangor’s performance in the British Universities Sports Association championships

Report by JON EWING AU President SEVENTEEN OF Bangor’s sports clubs kicked of their BUSA season on Wednesday 17th October, with varying degrees of success. Sure, some of our lads (and gals) took some pretty hefty beatings, but there were some equally good victories for Bangor to be proud of.

We’ll start with Men’s Football, who have already doubled the number of BUSA wins achieved by last year’s bunch. The competition in this tournament is fierce, and the second and fourth teams did well to emerge victorious— the seconds beating Keele fourths in their own back yard 3-2, and the fourths beating Warrington at home by the same score, helped

by a brace from Will Burgess. The firsts and thirds didn’t fare so well, losing away games to Manchester Met. and Keele thirds respectively.

The Badminton teams also posted a fifty percent success rate, with the Men’s team losing away to Warrington, but the Women’s team enjoying a 6-3 win over N.E.W.I. Our Basketball girls continued their good form of last season.

Helped by top points scorer Susan Rowland and a top class performance from Player of the Match Grace Sexton, they cruised to a 65-50 win away to a demoralised Chester team. The Men’s season gets underway next week.

Women’s Hockey got off to the best possible start, with both teams recording victories. The firsts won away at Manchester Met. 2-1, with goals from Cherie Daley and Jo Montague helping them on their way. Corrie Donkin scored the only goal of the game for the seconds, but that was enough to beat Chester 1-0 at home. A goal from Stuart Moreton wasn’t enough to prevent the Men’s Hockey firsts from losing to Crewe and Alsager 1-3, and the second team unfortunately

also went down to Central Lancs.

The Netball firsts travelled to Lancaster, where Player of the Match Nicky Jackson was unable to prevent the team losing a close fought game. The seconds also came away from Edge Hill empty handed.

There was no luck for our

Lacrosse girls, nor our Rugby teams, but Men’s Tennis posted a whitewash victory over their Lancaster opposites, beating them 6-0 to put them top of their Merit League.

There’s a heavy schedule in store for all these teams in November, and I’m sure we all wish them well on their travels.

The AU’s Stars In Their Eyes night in Freshers’ Week started slowly, but around four hundred people eventually rolled through the doors to be entertained. An excellent rendition of “Keep On Moving” from Men’s Hockey got the show underway, and many thanks go to the Dance Club who performed three acts at short notice. Congratulations to Rich and Warren from the Men’s Rugby team, who stole the show with their Ricky Martin impressions and walked away with first prize.

Nice Choons Keep coming to Nice Choons nights in Main Bar on fortnightly Thursdays, and help your AU clubs make some money, whilst having a good time yourself! The next Nice Choons night is on the 1st November, and it’s a Beach Party theme.

So dust off those grass skirts and Hawaiian shirts, and get down to Main Bar for some out of season entertainment.

Basketball: another sport at which Bangor is taking on the nation’s Universities

sport@seren.bangor.ac.uk

SPORTS

SEREN October 2001 23

Football fans reject 6.15pm kick-offs Report by JON EWING AU President With any luck, by the time this goes to print, students at the General Meeting on Thursday 25th October will have voted in favour of the “Anti-6.15 motion.” The Anti what? The “Anti–kick off at 6.15 on a Sunday evening motion.” OK, I’ll give you some more detail. ITV Sport has decided that Nationwide League Football games should be screened live on a Sunday at 6.15pm, and on Thursday evenings at eight. They’ve come to this decision without consulting the very people who give English league games such a fantastic atmosphere—the travelling fans.

True dedication is when an Exeter City fan gets up at 5am on a Saturday (the traditional, and internationally approved “match day”) ready to make the long and arduous journey north to Carlisle.

According to the trusty RAC Route Planner, that’s a six-hour journey (M6 traffic permitting) taking in over 350 miles to watch a fixture which surely only die-hard Exeter or Carlisle fans could possibly find entertaining. Our man from Exeter could expect to arrive back on his doorstep somewhere around midnight after the game. A reasonable hour, I suppose, when you consider that had he been watching a home game he’d probably have been pissed up in some local wine bar until the wee small hours.

But what happens when the powers that be (i.e. ITV Sport) decide that Carlisle versus Exeter City would make excellent viewing on a Sunday evening? Okay, the chances are slim, I mean, not even ITV could possibly imagine that this fixture would draw in a TV audience of more than a few hundred, but it could happen.

Mr. Exeter won’t be crawling in beside Mrs. Exeter until around 3am Monday morning. This pisses off several people. Mrs. Exeter doesn’t get the attention she deserves from her football loving fella, who, in turn doesn’t get his fill for the night, and Mr. Exeter’s boss is displeased at the work rate of his employee who’s only had four hours (at best) sleep the previous night.

It doesn’t even have to be a fixture as obscure as Carlisle and Exeter—supporters who have to rely on public transport face an almost impossible task of travelling home after the game (which finishes after 8pm), whatever the fixture. So ITV are, in effect, squeezing those without their own form of transport out of the game.

Also at a loose end are the younger fans, the future of the game, who will be unable to attend due to school commitments. These are the grass roots of the English game and the very fans that we should be trying to encourage to keep turning up at the turnstiles.

By making this decision, it’s clear that ITV Sport has produced football for the subscriber, not the supporter. Only two groups of people benefit from showing games at these times—fat cat TV bosses and fans that would rather stay at home and watch football from their armchairs. And there doesn’t appear to be too many people who fit into that second category—a paltry 1,500 armchair fans tuned in for the game between Nottingham Forest and Bradford City last month. Surely ITV Sport are shooting themselves in the foot here as they can’t be making a profit.

Another “huge” audience of 2,000 tuned in to watch a recent Celtic match on ITV Digital, swelling the fat cat coffers to an even greater extent. Whilst Celtic, and other Scottish clubs are not directly related to this motion, it’s another clear indication that people simply aren’t, and hopefully never will be, ready for pay-per-view TV football matches.

Incidentally, 1,500 is the same number of people who signed a petition demanding that “ITV gives far greater consideration to the needs of paying, travelling supporters when scheduling matches for live transmission.” This petition was tabled by the football supporters’ group, “Blind, Stupid and Desperate,” and if the “Anti-6.15” motion is passed, the Students’ Union will ally our efforts with this group and promote their campaign.

Football is a beautiful game and an honest sport, but one that’s unfortunately being taken over by commercialism and greed. It’s time to do something about it.

“Slaughter in the water” as two Octopush players race for the puck

Octopush National Championships Chris Wheeler reports on one of the Athletic Unions’ more obscure sports Saturday 10th March saw the Bangor University’s intrepid Octopush team travel to Liverpool for the National Octopush Championships. Starting at 3.15pm and finishing a little after 9.30pm, Bangor bravely pitted their skills against six other University teams from around the country.

Now, for those of you that are a bit baffled by this strange game called Octopush, let me give you a brief introduction. Basically, two teams of six with four rolling substitutes play on the bottom of a swimming pool and, with the aid of small sticks (called “pushers”), attempt to push what can only be described as a lump of plastic-coated lead the shape of an ice hockey puck into the opposition’s goal. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Well think again. Octopush is a game that requires fish-like lungs, sprinter-sized thighs and steel reinforced fingers acquired by training on a Sunday evening between 7pm and 8pm at Bangor pool.

The tournament itself saw the predicted favourites Aberdeen stroll away with the trophy, and then proceed to march around Liv-

erpool in their bloody kilts crying shameless lines from Braveheart. I was really sorry to hear that their van was broken into and their laptop stolen. Honest.

As for Bangor, two teams went

Octopush is a game that requires fish-like lungs, sprintersized thighs and steel-reinforced fingers. up and both represented the University valiantly. Bangor “B” team came in at an unfortunate seventh place, though they were certainly not seen as “whipping boys.” A well-organised team, under the leadership of club captain Reggie, came very close to offering up a few upsets: however, Lady Luck was not on their side. Nor, for that matter, was the referee.

Bangor’s “A” team fared a little bit better, finishing fifth, though

this could quite easily have been third. Johnny Marriage’s team produced some exceptional performances but in the end training for only one hour a week took its toll.

Chris Wheeler’s three goals from midfield were well taken, the final one being a full length run beating four players as he went through.

Everyone involved had a great time, though being dragged out for a few beverages afterwards was a bit annoying, but someone had to drink it. Liverpool were also good enough to feed all of the teams and so our thanks goes to them.

What lessons can we learn from our experience? Firstly, any away trip is a good one. Secondly, with a bit of practice anyone can become an alright Octopush player, and finally (and most importantly), we realised that Octopush really does live up to its motto—”slaughter in the water.”

If you’re interested in playing Octopush, training is held on Sunday evenings from 7pm at Bangor pool. The first session is free.

24 SEREN October 2001

AOB + LISTINGS

listings@seren.bangor.ac.uk

What’s on in Bangor

Horoscopes

A free service provided by Seren. Email event details to listings@seren.bangor.ac.uk

Aquarius Jan 20-Feb 18 Leo July 23-Aug 22 Think you’re clever? Well someone you hate,  Avoid  this month you are. as they’ll reappear.

OCTOBER Friday 26th

MAIN BAR Clint Boon (Inspiral Carpets) DJ Set+ Alzatraz 8-1am, £3 THEATR GWYNEDD Film Amores Perros (Love’s a Bitch) (18) 7.30pm £3.50 (NUS), £4.50 BARRELS Disco Night 9pm OCTAGON Party Night Free B49, £4 after.

NORTH WALES THEATRE, LLANDUDNO Jane MacDonald 8pm £20, £17.50.

Saturday 27th

AMSER/TIME Elevate presents Dolphin, Shaun Price, Jay Slingsby and residents 8-1am, £5/£7 MAIN BAR Nation 8-1am, £1.50 BARRELS DJ Zippi 9pm YR HEN GLAN Live DJ’s 8pm OCTAGON Dance Night, £4 B4 9, £5, £1 all draught B4 9.

Monday 29th

AMSER/TIME 60s70s80s with DJ Randy Lustpants + Tribute Band. Free entry, 8-1am YR HEN GLAN Karaoke Free, 8.30-11.30pm BLACK BULL Monday Club Selected bottles £1

prize £75 vouchers, 2nd prize £25 vouchers, 3rd prize minute behind the bar.

NORTH WALES THEATRE, LLANDUDNO Bill Bailey 8pm, £12.50

NORTH WALES THEATRE, LLANDUDNO Four Seasons by Candlelight - Mozart Festival Orchestra.

7.30pm, £22, £19, £16, £11

Friday 2nd

THEATR GWYNEDD India Dance Wales present The Tempest.

7.30pm £8/£10 BARRELS Disco Night 9pm OCTAGON Party NIght Free B49, £4 after.

MAIN BAR Nation 8-1am, £1.50 BARRELS DJ Zippi 9pm YR HEN GLAN Live DJ’s 8pm OCTAGON Dance Night, £4 B4 9, £5, £1 all draught B4 9.

THEATR GWYNEDD Bee Gees Gold, 8pm £13.50

Saturday 3rd

Sunday 11th

MAIN BAR Nation 8-1am, £1.50 THEATR GWYNEDD MAB, 7.30pm, £4/£4.50 BULKELEY HOTEL, BEAUMARIS Johnny Vegas, (£12, £10) BARRELS DJ Zippi 9pm YR HEN GLAN Live DJ’s 8pm OCTAGON Dance Night, £4 B4 9, £5, £1 all draught B4 9.

Monday 5th

AMSER/TIME 60s70s80s with DJ Randy Lustpants + Tribute Band. Free entry, 8-1am YR HEN GLAN Karaoke Free, 8.30-11.30pm BLACK BULL Monday Club Selected bottles £1

Tuesday 6th

THE CASTLE Quiz £2 entry, £20 1st prize, 9.30pm THE WATERLOO Quiz 50p per person, free sandwiches, 9pm-ish YR HEN GLAN It’s a Quid Night.

All draught beer and bottles (except Smirnoff Ice) £1

THEATR GWYNEDD Mark Buxton Exhibit Free, normal hours apply THE CASTLE Quiz £2 entry, £20 1st prize, 9.30 start THE WATERLOO Quiz 50p per person, free sandwiches, 9pm-ish YR HEN GLAN It’s a Quid Night.

All draught beer and bottles (except Smirnoff Ice) £1

Wednesday 31st

Wednesday 7th

Tuesday 30th

MAIN BAR Trash Free Entry, indie room & rock room. 8-1am.

YR HEN GLAN Halloween costume party. Come in costume, get a free shot of snot.

OCTAGON Student Night. 8-1am, £1 (NUS), £3, selected drinks 50p B4 9, selected drinks £1 after 9.

NOVEMBER Thursday 1st

AMSER/TIME My Vitriol + guests Queen Adreena and Seafood.

Tickets available from the S.U shop.

7 - 1am.

MAIN BAR Beach Party 8-1am, £1.50/ £2 no costume.

BARRELS Rock Night and promotional drinks.

YR HEN GLAN Quiz, 9.30pm, 1st

Saturday 10th

EMPIRE HOTEL, LLANDUDNO The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, 7.30pm, £23, £20, £17, £13, £8. £3 off top 3 prices (NUS).

Monday 12th

AMSER/TIME 60s70s80s with DJ Randy Lustpants + Tribute Band. Free entry, 8-1am YR HEN GLAN Karaoke Free, 8.30-11.30pm BLACK BULL Monday Club selected bottles £1

Tuesday 13th

THE CASTLE Quiz £2 entry, £20 1st prize, 9.30pm THE WATERLOO Quiz 50p per person, free sandwiches, 9pm-ish YR HEN GLAN It’s a Quid Night.

All draught beer and bottles (except Smirnoff Ice) £1

Wednesday 14th

MAIN BAR Trash Free entry Indie Room and Rock Room, 8.00-1am (Doors close 11pm) THE OCTAGON Bliss Free (NUS) B4 8.30pm, £1 (NUS) B4 9pm, £2 onwards, £3 non NUS. YR HEN GLAN Disco Music Free 8.30pm, promotional drinks available

AMSER/TIME Orange Enjoy Music Tour v.2. 1) Stanton Warriors + Deadly Avenger 2) Nuphonic Records presents Norman Jay and Block 16 8-1am, £3 (NUS)/£4 MAIN BAR Trash Free Entry, indie room & rock room. 8-1am.

YR HEN GLAN Disco Music Free 8.30pm, promotional drinks available OCTAGON Student Night. 8-1am, £1 (NUS), £3, selected drinks 50p B4 9pm, selected drinks £1 after 9pm.

BULKELEY HOTEL, BEAUMARIS Ronnie Drew, 7pm £10

Thursday 8th

Thursday 15th

Friday 9th

Friday 16th

YR HEN GLAN Quiz, 9.30pm, 1st prize £75 vouchers, 2nd prize £25 vouchers, 3rd prize minute behind the bar.

MAIN BAR Fission - DJ Firewall + residents 8-1am, £1.50 B4 9, £2 B4 10, £3 thereafter!

BULKELEY HOTEL, BEAUMARIS Show of Hands Folk Music, 7pm, £10

YR HEN GLAN Quiz, 9.30pm, 1st prize £75 vouchers, 2nd prize £25 vouchers, 3rd prize minute behind the bar.

THEATR GWYNEDD STAND UP Noel Fielding, John Oliver, Spencer Brown 7.30pm, £8, £5 BARRELS Disco Night 9pm OCTAGON Party NIght Free B49, £4 after

Pisces Feb 19-Mar 20 Virgo Aug 23-Sep 22 You have to do everything to your instincts and  Trust  this month, so prioritise. you’ll get on all right.

Aries March 21-April 19 Libra Sep 23-Oct 23 People think you’re brilyour problems can be  liant: don’t be stereotyped.  All solved with common sense.

Taurus April 20-May 20 look back! Just  Don’t your stuff and succeed.

do

Scorpio Oct 24-Nov 21 out of any relationships  Get that are a burden to you.

Gemini May 21-June 21 Sagittarius Nov 22-Dec 21 Get closure not credit.

Be an adult, and face up to  Loans are evil.  responsibilities.

Cancer June 22-July 22 Capricorn Dec 22-Jan 19 Its your turn for cheap You’re so sexy you’ll easily  get your own way.  thrills—but be careful.

Seren Quick crossword Across 1 Runthistocause trouble (4) 6 3 Beltorwindow(4) 5 Ajar—perhaps Grecian? (3) 6 NotChristian,for 10 example (5) 7 Afemalelawyerdown a dark street? (4) 12 8 Abirdofprey(6) 10 Absenceof everything (6) 15 12 Averylongpoem, story or film (4) 13 These vessels make the most noise (5) 14 A mistake (3) 15 Cry or rip (4) 16 You can be on or pushed over this (4)

1

2

3

4

5 7

8

9

11

13 14 16

Down 1 Lump in the throat? (10) 2 Neo knows this! (6) 3 Slug with a mobile home (5) 4 Toilet hues (anag.) (10) 9 Unit of current (6) 11 An open sore (5)

Last month’s answers—Across: 1 Show, 3 NASA, 6 Poinsettia, 8 Maps, 10 Earl, 13 Cappuccino, 14 Soya, 15 Keen Down: 1 Sips, 2 Opium Poppy, 4 A Still Life, 5 Agas, 7 Elsa, 9 Peru, 11 Aces, 12 Noun

WRITING FOR SEREN To join the Seren staff writers’ email list, send an email to listserver@undeb.bangor.ac.uk, subject: subscribe seren. Alternatively, you can get directly in touch with the Section Editors via the email address at the top of the relevant page.

The next issue of Seren goes to print on Tuesday, 13th November. Submissions for inclusion should reach the relevant Section Editor at least one week in advance.

Editor-in-Chief Production Assoc. Editor Sub-Editor News Academic Union

Darien G-Smith Julie Neild Chris Chapman Ian Fallon

Community Culture Music Movies Games Catherine Walker Features Lola Kidney Listings Bob Connerton Sport

Karl Sadil Kirsty Harrison Dan Hartley Chris Chapman Mike McGeachin Dawn Slade Kirsty Harrison Jon Ewing